France vs Faroe Islands Preview

Les Bleus are currently second in the pool and unlikely to overtake leaders Serbia, who they trail by four points, in the race for an automatic place at next year's finals in South Africa.

However, Mandanda has urged his team-mates to keep the faith and hope Serbia slip up against Romania and Lithuania.

"It's still feasible. We still believe," he said. "Nothing is over. We're going to fight for it until the end.

"We're depending enormously on Serbia but we have to first win our two matches and hope for the opposite from Serbia.

"Anything can happen. We have to believe. We have to win our matches and then we'll see.

"There's still all to play for, Serbia don't have that easy matches to play.

"We all have an aim and that's to get the France team to South Africa. Everyone needs to push for the same thing."

Mandanda is certain to be between the sticks tomorrow, with Hugo Lloris suspended following his sending-off in last month's battling draw in Serbia.

And the Marseille goalkeeper knows it will take all his levels of concentration.

"These are the most delicate matches for a goalkeeper," continued Mandanda. "You know you won't be tested a lot.

"So you have to be there for the few balls you have to keep out.

"You have to remain focused for 90 minutes - as always, but even more so."

There have always been question marks over Mandanda's performance in the France team.

But when he was called on to replace Lloris in the 10th minute in Serbia, the 24-year-old gave his best performance in 11 matches.

"It's true," added Mandanda. "Why? I don't know. I was mentally ready but I wasn't expecting to play.

"Maybe partly because I have a year behind me. You learn and you do things differently.

"I'm not saying I was bad. But I feel better.

"The France team is not that easy."

France coach Raymond Domenech knows that anything less than a convincing victory is unlikely to ease the pressure on him.

Things have gone from bad to worse in the French camp and last month's double header against Romania and Serbia was marred by reports of a bust-up between Domenech and his players.

Clear-the-air talks have been held this week and Domenech has also met up with Karim Benzema to demand an explanation for the Real Madrid striker's comments that he had not really felt like playing against Serbia and had struggled to give his all.

A goalfest is exactly what Les Bleus need ahead of their final qualifier against Austria but the Faroe Islands are anything but the whipping boys they used to be.

They only lost 1-0 against France last time and followed up an impressive 1-1 draw against Austria with their first competitive victory in eight years, against Lithuania last month.

However, coach Brian Kerr is under no illusions as to how tough tomorrow's game will be.

"France away is a tough one all right, especially because of the position the French are in, they need a point at least, " he said.

"This is a tough one for us. France are playing in Guingamp, which might not get too many international games so the stadium will be packed.

"It will be a better atmosphere than they'd have got if the game was in Paris.

"I doubt they'd pack out the Stade de France for a game with the Faroes.

"We're under no illusions about how hard it will be. Realistically, it's a matter of us trying to keep the score down.

"If we can get a goal on the break and make a game of it, surprise them a bit, then it will be great."