Hugo Lloris, eyes wide, leads the French team into position in the bowels of the Stade de Lyon, with Olivier Giroud bringing up the rear.

Here come the Irish now. Paul Pogba steps out of the lines to embrace Robbie Brady. At opposite ends of the football spotlight now perhaps but once team-mates at Manchester United.

Here they come! Time to get this show on the road. 

How are your nerves? The France fans on camera look, to a man, woman and child, very optimistic.

Image source, EPA

Roy Keane's beatnik poet phase is my favourite of his guises yet. 

Image source, Reuters

There is a small, but considerable, pocket of green smattered in the stands as the Republic of Ireland fans fight to make themselves ahead.

The 40th game of Euro 2016 is just over 10 minutes away. 

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A late Robbie Keane winner? The romantic's vote perhaps.

The atmosphere in Lyon is bordering on euphoria. Something very special about a host nation playing. 

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Republic of Ireland and Newcastle keeper Rob Elliot, who has missed the tournament because of injury, has been speaking on BBC Radio 5 live about his replacement Darren Randolph and the Republic's chances.

"Darren's been calm and made saves when called upon. Darren didn't have a lot of caps before and he's handled the situation. I'm sure he'll have some big moments today.

"I'm hoping we can keep it tight and get to the last 20 minutes and bring on the likes of Robbie Keane and Wes Hoolahan. Hopefully we can nick it at the end."

Without getting carried away, the winners of this game could well end up playing England in a quarter final at the Stade de France on Sunday...

Or Iceland, of course. 

Seven Fields: Euro2016 has been boring. Quality of football awful. Only Spain in two first games looked good. Too many teams taking part in it

Noel Fitzpatrick: Ireland to win 3-0. Shane Long double and a penalty for handball. France to have 2 players sent off.. If Carlsberg did Sundays

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If Dimitri Payet starts on the left of the French attack - as he sometimes does - that may leave an outlet for Seamus Coleman to get forward for the Republic. Can't see Payet tracking his man all the way. 

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Kevin Kilbane
Ex-Republic of Ireland on BBC Radio 5 live

It doesn't surprise me that Wes Hoolahan is on the bench. The only change Martin O'Neill might have made was if Stephen Ward was injured. What Wes did the other night was come off the bench and have a big impact. Martin probably thinks that's how he best serves the side and I agree with that.

He is our Messi and he does provide creativity and spark.

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The Stade de Lyon is already creating volume akin to an AC/DC gig as the crowd reach fever point. The Irish fans generally outnumber whoever they are playing - but no chance of that today...

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Andrew Priestley: When you compare the two starting line-ups there really is no comparison in quality. But football loves to give us a shock result.

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Anonymous in the opener, dropped for the second game, outstanding for 45 minutes in the third game.

What are we going to get from Paul Pogba this afternoon?

Image source, Reuters

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As we await kick-off in Lyon, there is still time for you to predict the results of today's games. Points are awarded for guessing the correct result and score at 90 minutes, so if you think it will go to extra time or penalties, you need to be predicting a draw.

You can play the game here.

We certainly hope so. These knockout games need an early goal to prise them open.

Time added on: The most open Euros in memory and arguably been a poor spectacle so far. France need to make a statement today

Dylan Hutchinson: Three poor games yesterday, hopefully much better today

Motty said on 5 live a few minutes ago that he had "a funny feeling" that Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud would score this afternoon.

The number nine is back leading the line today. He scored in the opening win against Romania but has also missed a fair few chances. 

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Incredibly, France have not won a knockout match at the Euros since they won the thing back in 2000.

David Trezeguet's golden goal winner completed a double for the then World Cup holders, but since then it's been more EuroTrash than EuroStars.

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In 2004 they were ousted by eventual winners Greece, Euro 2008 saw them finish bottom of a proper group of death which contained the Netherlands and Italy, while four years ago a Xabi Alonso double saw Spain through.

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So the omens are good for the Republic. Win today and they are obviously going to win the tournament...

John Motson
BBC commentator on BBC Radio 5 live

I've logged every game in this tournament and for nearly every match I get to 28 or 29 minutes without making a note!

Not a chance, a yellow card, a bad foul, a shot on target, a goal...

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Kevin Kilbane
Ex-Republic of Ireland international in Lille

It was a huge disappointment on the pitch when France beat us in 2009. After the match there was a lot of fury with Thierry Henry, with the way he celebrated. But most of the anger was aimed at the referee – I told the referee he made a huge error and he said he was 100% certain he made the correct decision. lt's been billed as the revenge mission today but that’s certainly not the case.

It would have been mentioned - Robbie Keane, John O'Shea, Glenn Whelan were all on the pitch - but it will not be the be all and end all.