Confident France face struggling Spain in U-17 WC pre-quarters

On a roll after three wins on the trot in the group stage, former champions France face fellow European powerhouse Spain in a potentially high voltage round of 16 clash, here on Tuesday.

France have entered into this tournament not as one of the four automatic qualifiers from Europe but after featuring in a fifth-place play-off match. But they have been having a brilliant run of form so far in India though they were placed in a comparatively easier group, reports IANS.

The 2001 champions side beat tournament debutants New Caledonia 7-1, then prevailed over Japan 2-1 in a close game before thrashing Central American side Honduras 5-1. The ‘Les Bleuets’ have scored the highest number of goals (14) in the group stages.

They will, however, face their toughest test of the tournament in the form of Spain, the European champions, on Tuesday. Just five months back, Spain had beaten France 3-1 in the UEFA European U-17 Championships quarterfinals.

Star striker Amine Gouiri had given France the lead in that match before Mateu Morey, Abel Ruiz and Sergio Gomez had replied for Spain to register a resounding victory.

Gouiri has been in excellent form in the group stage in India and he is the current leading scorer with five strikes to his name.

Mateu Morey, Abel Ruiz and Sergio Gomez are all in the Spanish side here and it should be an interesting tussle of supremacy between the two European sides at the Indira Gandhi Athletics Stadium.

Spain have come into this tournament as one of the favourites and are seeking their maiden FIFA U-17 World Cup title but they have struggled to live up to the expectations so far.

The ‘La Rojita’ lost to another tournament favourite Brazil 1-2 in their campaign opener and then beat Niger (4-0) and North Korea (2-0) to qualify for the round of 16 as runners-up from Group D.

Teams (from) France: Brahia Bernard, Yahia Fofana, Illan Meslier, Melvin Bard, William Bianda, Vincent Collet, Maxime Lacroix, Batista Mendy, Andy Pelmard, Oumar Solet, Yacine Adli, Maxence Caqueret, Claudio Gomes, Alan Kerouedan, Mathias Picouleau, Lenny Pintor, Aurelien Tchouameni, Alexis Flips, Willem Geubbels, Amine Gouiri, Wilson Isidor Spain: Alvaro Fernandez, Mateu Jaume, Juan Miranda, Hugo Guillamon, Victor Chust, Antonio Blanco, Ferran Torres, Mohamed Moukhliss, Abel Ruiz, Sergio Gomez, Nacho Diaz, Pedro Ruiz. Marc Vidal, Alvaro Garcia, Eric Garcia, Diego Pampin, Jose Lara, Cesar Gelabert, Carlos Beitia, Victor Perea, Alfonso Pastor