The Ukraine national football team host defending champions France in a FIFA World Cup 2022 qualification Group D encounter at the Olympic National Sports Complex in Kyiv in the early hours of Sunday, September 5.
Under interim head coach Oleksandr Petrakov, Ukraine - held to a 2-2 draw by Kazakhstan in their previous game - sit second in the Group D points table, with four points from as many matches. The Andriy Yarmolenko-led side needs a win against table-toppers France to stay in contention for automatic qualification for FIFA World Cup in Qatar next year.
On the other hand, the France national football team maintained their ascendancy in Group D following their 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Thursday. The Didier Deschamps-coached Les Bleus - who have won two and drawn two of their first four games - maintain a four-point cushion over Ukraine.
Ukraine vs France head-to-head
France maintain a superior head-to-head record against Ukraine in international football, winning six of the 11 matches played between these two sides. Ukraine have managed just a solitary win while four matches have ended in a draw.
Ukraine team news and injury updates
Ukraine will miss the services of their Manchester City left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko due to an accumulation of bookings. Zinchenko - who can also operate in the midfield for Ukraine - will serve a one-game suspension after being cautioned in the game against Kazakhstan.
Ukraine probable starting XI: Andriy Pyatov, Illya Zabarnyi, Mykola Matviyenko, Vitaliy Mykolenko, Oleksandr Karavayev, Mykola Shaparenko, Viktor Tsyhankov, Eduard Sobol, Andriy Yarmolenko, Ruslan Malinovskyi, Roman Yaremchuk
France team news and injury updates
World Cup holders France have suffered a massive blow after their talisman Kylian Mbappe, who picked a calf injury against Bosnia on Thursday, was ruled out of their upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine and Finland.
However, midfielders Adrien Rabiot and Matteo Guendouzi will be available for selection against Ukraine.
France probable starting XI: Hugo Lloris, Leo Dubois, Raphael Varane, Presnel Kimpembe, Lucas Digne, Paul Pogba, Aurelien Tchouameni, Adrien Rabiot, Antoine Griezmann, Karim Benzema, Kingsley Coman
Where to watch Ukraine vs France FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifiers live in India?
Ukraine vs France FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifiers match will be telecast live at 12:15 AM IST on the SONY TEN 2 TV channel in India on Sunday, September 5.
Live streaming of Ukraine vs France match will be available on SonyLIV and JioTV.
Featured photo: FRANCK FIFE / AFP
