Finland loss in France puts small dent in World Cup qualification chances

[p]Three wins in their first four, including a victory over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/france/dS5MsX25/"]France[/a], had guaranteed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/finland/hrkQcWHb/"]Finland[/a] a place in round two even before they beat [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/hungary/UDBtdAnB/"]Hungary[/a] in Helsinki on 3rd July. However, with points carrying over into the second round, this contest was by no means a dead rubber, and [b]the Wolfpack will be playing catch-up to France when the next stage gets underway.[/b][/p][p]This match was a battle for top spot in the group, but there was clearly going to be one winner from the off as [b]France soared into a 31-16 lead at the end of the first quarter[/b], before extending that to 49-30 at the half. Les Bleus put another 11 points between the sides in the third quarter, before Finland restored a sliver of pride in the fourth by taking it by one, [b]by which time France were already celebrating what was a [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/basketball/finland-hrkQcWHb/france-dS5MsX25/?mid=44u0D99s"]98-69 win[/a] in the end.[/b][/p][embed guid="738b3624-9f5c-4dd0-a042-e1ec5bfbf46f" url="https://x.com/EuroBasket/status/2074245200097013873" social-type="twitter" /][p]Despite the final score, no one player dominated for France, for whom [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/okobo-elie/WYj4yJVg/"]Elie Okobo[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/raynaud-maxime/EPyysBik/"]Maxime Renaud[/a] top scored with 16 points each, two clear of the Finns' most productive shooters, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/markkanen-lauri/G2tXBSSt/"]Lauri Markkanen[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/jantunen-mikael-olli-axel/neUrtYi8/"]Mikael Jantunen[/a].[/p][p]Hungary finished third in the group above the eliminated [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/belgium/jk5QtiIB/"]Belgium[/a]. The three progressing sides will next go into Group L in round two alongside [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/estonia/nsrT0eeP/"]Estonia[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/slovenia/vHfUe4nd/"]Slovenia[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sweden/fuqXiPgO/"]Sweden[/a]. [b]France lead the way on 11 points, one more than Finland[/b], while the other four sides will all begin on nine points. The top three will progress to the 2027 Basketball World Cup, with Finland aiming for a third participation.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/basketball/world/world-cup/"]Follow the 2027 Basketball World Cup qualifiers on Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]