2010 World Cup Qualifier betting - France vs Republic of Ireland

Ireland will travel to the Stade de France tonight needing a win to have any chance of qualifying for the World Cup next year in South Africa after the first leg saw them lose 1-0 due to an unfortunate deflected strike from Chelsea striker Nicholas Anelka. Last year`s finalists and 1998 World Champions France will now fancy their chances of an eighth straight qualification for a major tournament.

The hosts are comfortable favourites for tonight`s match, priced at 8/15 (bet $150 to win $80 profit), leaving Ireland as big underdogs at 7/1. The sides` recent fortunes have been very different, with France winning their last three games and Ireland without a win in that time. The visitors will take heart from getting good results against Italy earlier in the campaign, but tonight a draw will not be enough to send them to South Africa. The draw is priced at 3/1.

Another 1-0 win for France is the favourite score, at 5/1, just ahead of 2-0 at 11/2. A 1-1 draw is 13/2 and 0-0 is 17/2, both results which would see Ireland eliminated from the competition. However, a 1-0 win for Ireland, leading to extra time, is 14/1. A 2-1 win for Ireland would mean they go through on away goals and that dream result is 25/1.

Anelka is favourite to open the scoring again tonight at 4/1, followed closely by team-mates Karim Benzema, of Real Madrid, and Andre-Pierre Gignac, of Toulouse, both at 5/1. Former Arsenal legend Thierry Henry is at 11/2 and Chelsea`s Florent Malouda is 12/1. Ireland`s best hope of scoring the first goal comes from Spurs Captain Robbie Keane, who is 9/1 to do the honours.

France are 13/8 to be winning at both half-time and full-time, and 10/3 to win at full-time after drawing at the interval. Both halves to be drawn is 5/1 and Ireland to be winning at both whistles is 12/1. France are 33/1 to win after falling behind at half-time and draw/Ireland is 16/1.

Raymond Domenech`s men are considered as being among the top contenders for next year`s World Cup and priced at 20/1 to go one better than they did four years ago. Ireland, however, are not given much hope and are as long as 13/2 to even qualify for the tournament.

France vs Republic of Ireland betting odds

World Cup 2010 betting odds

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