Latvia - France predictions and free betting tips [12/05/2024]

In the second round of the group stage of the World Ice Hockey Championship in the Czech Republic, the teams of Latvia and France will play against each other.

Current form of Team Latvia

The Latvian team, as the reigning bronze medalist of the World Championship, began the current tournament with a tense match against the Polish team, which ended with a Latvian victory in overtime with a score of 5:4. Although the Poles were the first to score, the Latvians managed to equalise and take the game under their control, scoring the next three goals. In the second period, the Poles took the lead twice, but Latvia did not give in and sent the game into overtime, where Kaspars Daugavins scored the winning goal.

In recent years, Team Latvia has consistently performed well at the World Championships, regularly maintaining their position in the elite division, but until last year they had not managed to go far in the playoffs. An exception was last year's championship, where the Latvians unexpectedly won bronze medals. Therefore, at the 2024 World Championships, the team led by Harijs Vitolins sets ambitious goals for themselves to reach the playoffs, despite the toughness of their group and increased competition.

The first victory over Poland has added confidence to the team, which is already preparing for the next challenges at the tournament. Their next match against Team France promises to be challenging, as the French are also eager to prove their competitiveness after a defeat by Kazakhstan. Latvia will be striving to use their experience and skill to overcome the opponent and reinforce their positions in the group after not the most successful match with the Polish team.

Current form of Team France

Team France faced the task of maintaining their position in the elite division at the 2024 World Ice Hockey Championships after returning to the top league in 2022 in place of the suspended Team Russia. Since then, the French have consistently placed 12th in the final tables of the two latest tournaments, allowing them to maintain their standing amongst the strongest. This year, the French aimed to minimise the risk of relegation and they will be working towards this goal from their match against the Polish national team on May 14.

In their first match of the World Cup, the French were unable to realise their potential against Team Kazakhstan, losing by a score of 1:3. France scored first, but then conceded three goals in a row despite having ample opportunities and chances to score. French goalkeeper Sebastian Iloenen deflected 21 shots, but his efforts were not sufficient for a victory. This match highlighted issues in offence, where the French lacked the finishing touch on their chances. France's lineup has weakened compared to previous seasons, the leaders in the form of Da Costa are aging, and there are no new leaders yet.

Head-to-head

The teams have played against each other numerous times, but their last official match was at the 2021 Olympics, Latvia was stronger with a score of 2:1. At the 2015 World Championships, France was stronger with a 3:2 lead after a series of penalty shots.

Predictions for the Latvia - France match

I anticipate a cautious match with a minimum of moments, especially from France, and Latvia, after the fiasco of conceding 4 goals from the weakest team, Poland, should have made conclusions about their defensive play, I'm betting on a total under (TU) 5 goals.