Rivals eye quarter-final slot

France take on Norway in their final Group B game on Sunday knowing that a draw would steer both through to the last eight.

• Though both sides have three points, France's goal difference advantage over Norway has earned them second place in the group, currently worth a quarter-final meeting with the Group A runners-up, either Netherlands or Denmark, on 3 September in Tampere. Should there be a draw, Norway would go through as one of the two best third-placed teams to meet either Finland or the Group C winners.

• France opened their campaign with a 3-1 comeback victory over Iceland, courtesy of penalties from Camille Abily and Sonia Bompastor, followed by Louisa Nécib's late strike, before being on the receiving end of a comprehensive 5-1 defeat by holders Germany, with Gaëtane Thiney getting their consolation goal.

• France have had to without with defender Corine Franco and striker Candie Herbert since the first half of their opener against Iceland after both women suffered head injuries.

• Norway also lost by a four-goal margin to Silvia Neid's six-times European champions, going down 4-0 after a late flurry of goals, but could only conjure a 1-0 victory over Iceland, Cecilie Pedersen's goal just before half-time securing the points but the narrow margin of victory leaving them third in the group after Matchday 2.

• Pedersen, with third-tier Avaldsnes IL, was a surprise selection in the finals squad and only made her senior debut in the 19 August friendly defeat of Sweden. The 18-year-old was a substitute against Germany and was given a first start on Thursday.

• France faced Norway on 9 June 2005 in Warrington in their second Group B game in England. France had beaten Italy in their opening game while Norway had lost to Germany, so victory for Les Bleues would have taken them through to the semi-finals and they led on 20 minutes through Stéphanie Mugneret-Béghé.

• However, Isabell Herlovsen was introduced at half-time and three days after becoming the youngest ever player in the history of the final tournament (a record now beaten by Oksana Yakovyshyn of Ukraine), her 66th-minute equaliser gave her the goalscoring record aged 16 years 351 days. It also secured a 1-1 draw that eventually helped eventual runners-up Norway pip France to the semi-finals on goal difference.

• The teams were:
France: Sarah Bouhaddi, Peggy Provost, Laura Georges, Corinne Diacre, Sandrine Soubeyrand, Stéphanie Mugneret-Béghé (Marie-Ange Kramo), Sonia Bompastor, Marinette Pichon, Sandrine Dusang, Hoda Lattaf, (Élodie Thomis), Elise Bussaglia.
Norway: Bente Nordby, Siri Nordby, Marit Fiane Christensen, Ane Stangeland, Gunhild Følstad, Solveig Gulbrandsen, Ingvild Stensland, Trine Rønning, Dagny Mellgren, Stine Frantzen (Lise Klaveness), Unni Lehn (Isabell Herlovsen).

• The teams also met in the first round of fixtures at the 2001 final tournament, Norway running out 3-0 winners in the Group B game in Ulm thanks to goals from Monica Knudsen and and Dagny Mellgren either side of an Emmanuelle Sykora own goal.

• Overall in their 16 fixtures, Norway have won eight to France's three with five draws and lead the goal count 25-8.

• In their first fixture in Poissy on 8 November 1980, Norway won 3-0 and it took 12 games and nearly 25 years for France to register a victory, 2-0 in La Manga on 19 February 2005. They then secured a 1-0 success three days later.

• Since Norway beat France 2-0 in the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup – having also defeated them twice in qualifying – Les Bleues are unbeaten in five fixtures against their rivals. After the three 2005 matches, they met the following January in Guangzhou, China and drew 1-1; Laëtitia Tonazzi's 19th-minute goal for France cancelled out two minutes from time by Maritha Kaufmann.

• In March 2007 France beat Norway 1-0 in the Algarve Cup in Lagos, Camille Abilly scoring after 67 minutes.

• Norway won the second UEFA Competition for National Representative Women Teams in 1987 and the second UEFA European Women's Championship six years later. In 1995 they beat Germany 2-0 in Stockholm to win the FIFA Women's World Cup. In 2007 they were fourth in the World Cup.

• France have competed in all three editions of this competition since the eight-team showpiece stage was introduced, though they departed in the group stage in 1997, 2001 and 2005. France suffered the same fate in their sole appearance in the World Cup finals in 2003, undone by an opening 2-0 loss to Norway.

• France beat Norway 2-0 on 3 August 2003 in Leipzig to win the UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship for the only time to date, Lilas Traïkia scoring the second goal. The France team were coached by Bruno Bini.

• France's starting lineup included Sarah Bouhaddi, Gaétane Thiney, Ophélie Meilleroux, and Elise Bussaglia while Élodie Thomis, Laëtitia Stribick-Buerkel and Laure Lepailleur were also in the squad. Runa Vikestad started for Norway and Melissa Wiik came off the bench. Bussaglia had also found the net in a 2-2 draw between the teams in the group stage.

• A number of other players have also enjoyed scoring success in matches between these sides in the European U19 Championship. Maren Mjelde and Eugénie Le Sommer scored in a 1-1 group stage draw at the 2008 finals in Iceland, Ingvild Isaksen also involved as Norway pipped France to the last four, and were to finish runners-up.

• Elise Thorsnes of Norway found the net in France's 3-1 victory in the 2006 second qualifying round, Amandine Henry on the winning side and Isabell Hervolsen and Ingvild Isaksen also involved. Anneli Giske struck as Norway ran out 2-0 winners in the finals group stage in 2004, Mellissa Wiik on the victorious side, Sarah Bouhaddi, Gaétane Thiney, Laure Lepailleur, Élodie Thomis, Louisa Nécib and Elise Bussaglia playing for France.

• When Stensland moved to Olympique Lyonnais in the winter, she not only linked up with former Norway goalkeeper Nordby, but also French internationals Laura Georges, Amandine Henry, Louisa Nécib, Élodie Thomis, Camille Abily and Sonia Bompastor, though the latter pair soon left for the new American professional league. Stensland helped Lyon reain the French league title and also played in the UEFA Women's Cup and French Cup semi-finals alongside her Les Bleues colleagues.