WOMEN'S SOCCER:THE REPUBLIC of Ireland team will be hoping to spoil the party when they face France in Guingamp this evening.

The French need a win to rubber-stamp their place at the 2013 Uefa Women’s European Championship finals in Sweden but could still qualify if Scotland fail to beat Wales in Llanelli, a match that kicks off 50 minutes beforehand.

The French women’s team are flavour of the month at the moment after their fourth-place finishes in the 2011 World Cup in Germany and the 2012 London Olympics.

Guingamp, the small town in Brittany where the match will be played, has a population of 8,000 people but its magnificent 18,000-seat Roudourou Stadium will be packed to capacity for the game. The kick-off has been changed to 7.50pm Irish time to facilitate French television, which is showing the event live.