International
2025-06-17 - France U21 vs Poland U21
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: UEFA Under 21 European Championship Group C
Tuesday 17th June 2025 - Kick Off 5pm
This game is live on TV
Preview
Eighty-eight minutes ticked over the clock and it looked like France U21 were going to be in an unenviable position going into the final round robin of Group fixtures at the Under 21 European Championship. They had arrived in Slovakia with real ambitions to challenge for a trophy, but France were trailing Georgia U21 and with Portugal U21 winning, it would have meant losing all control of their own destiny.
Remarkably they were able to not only equalise, which would have still left France in a somewhat precarious position, but twelve minutes into injury time the favourites scored again to beat Georgia 2-1 and move above them in the standings.
Now France going into the final Group fixture knowing a draw guarantees a spot in the Quarter Final this weekend.
They will want more than that in order to build some momentum, but France will not be worrying about anything other than a top two finish in this section. Facing Denmark U21, Ukraine U21, Finland U21 or Netherlands U21 in the next Round is not going to be a concern for France, although there is a feeling that the team will want to avoid the stresses that accompanied the last fixture.
In the final Group games, France are set to face Poland U21 who have been eliminated following the 5-0 crushing loss to Portugal. That followed late drama in their opening game against Georgia, although that drama was not what Poland would have wanted to see when conceding a 94th minute Penalty and losing 2-1.
One of the concerns for Poland entering the Under 21 Euro Finals was the amount of goals they were conceding and that has continued to be a major problem in the Group Stage. Both Georgia and Poland have created some quality chances against Poland and France are surely set to follow suit against a disheartened and potentially demotivated squad now that elimination has been confirmed.
You cannot completely dismiss Poland- we have seen throughout major tournament history that even those who are eliminated can play hard enough for their pride in what are effectively meaningless games for them and Poland will not want to return home pointless.
However, they have struggled with the balance needed in this Group and France have the attacking players that can help them secure an 'easier' victory than the one they endured against Georgia.
There should not be any distraction with France controlling their own destiny and the chances created against Georgia suggests this is a team that will likely move through to the Quarter Final behind a solid victory.
Prediction
Three teams will be fighting for two places at the top of Group C in the final round of fixtures, but France U21 have control of their own destiny and it will need a couple of unexpected results for them to be eliminated.
They can remove all doubt by earning a positive result against eliminated Poland U21, a team that have been punished for their defensive vulnerabilities.
France can do the same and they should be able to secure progress with something to spare.
The Pick :
France U21 3-1 Poland U21
FIXED ODDS BETTING TIP :
I'll back France U21 - 1.5 Asian Handicap at 1.77 with Bet365
