France has an easy task ahead to secure first place with a high-scoring victory!

Following their 3-0 victory over Senegal, the “Tricolors” face Iran (12:00 a.m.) in the second match of Group I at the World Cup.

A win would allow Didier Deschamps’ team to secure a spot in the Round of 32 right now, while Iran is playing a “do-or-die” match to avoid early elimination, having lost 4-1 to Norway in their opener.

This is the first time in history that France and Iraq have faced each other at the men’s national team level. On the other hand, Iraq has returned to the World Cup for the first time since 1986. If they lose to France, they will become the first Asian country to lose all five of their opening matches in the tournament’s history.

Team Rosters

France:

Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan (Milan), Brice Samba (Rennes), Robin Risser (Lens)
Defenders: Lucas Digne (Aston Villa), Malo Gusto (Chelsea), Lucas Hernández (Paris Saint-Germain), Theo Hernández (Al Hilal), Ibrahima Konaté (Liverpool), Gilles Coude (Barcelona), Maxence Lacroix (Crystal Palace), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich)
Midfielders: Engolo Kanté (Fenerbahçe), Manou Koné (Roma), Adrien Rabiot (Milan), Aurélien Tchouaméni (Real Madrid), Zaire-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain)
Forwards: Magne Aklious (Monaco), Bradley Barkola (Paris Saint-Germain), Rayan Cherki (Manchester City), Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain), Désiré Doué (Paris Saint-Germain), Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace), Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan)

Iraq:

Goalkeepers: Ahmed Basil (Al-Sorta), Koumell Al-Rekab (Ariana), Jalal Hassan (Al-Zawraa), Fahad Talib (Al-Talaba)
Defenders: Akam Hashim (Al-Zawraa), Ahmed Yahya (Al-Sorta), Ahmed Makzani (Al-Najaf), Zaid Tahsin (Pakhtakor), Maitham Jabbar (Al-Zawraa), Manaf Younus (Al-Sorta), Merkas Doski (Viktoria Plzeň), Mustafa Saadoun (Al-Sorta), Rebin Sulaka (Port), Saad Natik (Al-Talaba), Frans Poutros (Persib Bandung), Hussein Ali (Pogon Szczecin)
Midfielders: Aimar Sher (Sarpborg), Amir Al-Amari (Krakowia), Amjad Atwan (Zako), Zaid Ismail (Al-Talaba), Zidan Iqbal (Utrecht), Ibrahim Bayes (Al-Dafra), Kevin Jacob (Aarhus), Mohammed Kasim (Al-Zawraa), Bashar Rashan (Pakhtakor), Osama Rashid (Erbil), Peter Gwargis (Duhok), Sajad Jassim (Al-Karma), Hassan Abdulkarim (Al-Zawraa), Husaym Ali Al-Saedi (Al-Sorta).
Forwards: Ayman Husaym (Al-Karma), Ali Al-Hamadi (Luton), Ali Yassim (Al-Najma), Ali Yousif (Al-Zawraa), Amar Muhsin (Brage), Youssef

The most likely starting lineups:

France (Didier Deschamps): Menian-Koundé, Saliba, Upamecano, Theo Hernández-Rabiot, Tchouaméni-Dembélé, Olise, Doué-Kimpembe

Iran (Graham Arnold): Hassan-H. Ali, Tahsin, Hashim, Doski-Al-Amari, Rashid, Iqbal, Bages – Jassim, Hussein

*photo source: AP