France vs Jamaica Odds, Prediction, Picks | Women’s World Cup Preview
Brendan Moran/Getty. Pictured: Selma Bacha.
France vs Jamaica Odds
| France Odds | -2200 |
| Jamaica Odds | +4000 |
| Draw | +1200 |
| Over/Under | 3.5 (-175 / +125) |
| Both Teams to Score (Yes/No) | (+175 / -250) |
| Odds via bet365. Get up-to-the-minute World Cup odds here. | |
France is eyeing a semifinal appearance at this year's World Cup and certainly has the talent to get there.
Jamaica, meanwhile, will be looking to win its first World Cup game after making their debut in 2019.
Read on for my preview and betting pick for France vs. Jamaica in the Women's World Cup.
France Familiar With High Expectations
France is no stranger to the World Cup stage, having reached the quarterfinals in its past three appearances. However, the team’s best finish remains fourth place (2011).
France has undergone major changes in recent months. Most notably, Corinne Diacre was ousted in March following a player revolt. The federation hired Hervé Renard – yes, that Hervé Renard, who was behind Saudi Arabia’s win over Argentina in the men’s World Cup last year – in her place and things have been relatively smooth since.
The turmoil that ripped the team apart under Diacre has somewhat mended itself, with star players like Wendie Renard (no relation to Hervé) and Kadidiatou Diani returning to the team after Diacre’s removal. But Marie-Antoinette Katoto remains out with an injury, a loss for this French squad as the young striker has 26 goals through 32 international appearances.
Under Renard, the team has won three games against World Cup qualifiers and lost 1-0 to Australia. According to Renard, this World Cup is semifinals or bust.
In order to get there, France will have to get through a tough group stage that features Brazil and Jamaica, both formidable squads.
Jamaica an Exciting Under the Radar Squad
One of the more exciting teams to come onto the international scene in recent years, Jamaica has also faced an uphill battle in getting to this World Cup. In the lead-in to the tournament, the team expressed its “utmost disappointment” in their federation’s “subpar” support. Players’ parents had to set up a crowdfunding campaign to help get the team the support it needed to prepare for the tournament.
This team made its first World Cup appearance in 2019 in similar fashion, after a long road back from being cut due to a lack of funding. However, the Reggae Girlz are still looking for their first win after losing all three group stage games four years ago.
In recent months, they’ve had close results at the Cup of Nations, including losses to Spain and Australia. They also managed a 1-0 win over Morocco in mid-July, which helps them enter this tournament on somewhat of a high note.
Jamaica boasts Khadija “Bunny” Shaw, a Women’s Super League standout who scored 31 goals in 30 matches for Manchester City last season. She has 56 goals in 38 international appearances and has been named captain. Jody Brown, a young star who is also a standout at Florida State, could also make a splash in this tournament.
France vs Jamaica Pick
Jamaica will need come out hot and it's hard to imagine France keeping Shaw from scoring. But over time, expect France to find its groove and come away with the win. Scores have been pretty tight in the World Cup and this one shouldn't be any different with France prevailing 3-1.
The Pick: France 3 – Jamaica 1 (Both Teams to Score, +175 via bet365)
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