France seek to extend their rampant start to the World Cup tonight when they need a point against Ecuador to secure top spot in Group E and further banish the memories of their implosion four years ago.

However, second-placed Ecua-dor will be desperate to pull off a shock win over the resurgent former world champions as they seek to book their own spot in the knockout stages ahead of Switzerland, who trail them on goal difference, and Honduras.

France lead the group with six points, followed by Ecuador and Switzerland on three points with Honduras bottom with no points after two defeats.

A win or draw for France would mean they will probably avoid meeting Argentina in their first knockout round match.

France national team coach Didier Deschamps has transformed the national team from the bad boys of the 2010 tournament in South Africa into a side drawing comparisons with the World Cup-winning side of 1998 on home soil.

Striker Olivier Giroud was surprisingly named as a substitute for their first match against Honduras but returned to the team in style on Friday when he scored the opener and created another goal in the 5-2 rout of Switzerland.

Ecuador manager Reinaldo Rueda is likely to field the same team that beat Honduras 2-1 last week and revived their campaign after a last-gasp opening defeat by Switzerland.

Rueda said that 2-1 loss had dealt a heavy blow to his players who are seeking to put Ecuador into the knockout phase of a World Cup for only the second time.

“They were difficult hours for the squad which is a young national team,” he said.

“I think we felt the naivety that led to the goal and Switzerland’s win.”

Switzerland will be seeking to banish bad memories of 2010, when they scraped a goalless draw against Honduras and crashed out early.

Switzerland manager Ottmar Hitzfeld, trying to repair his team’s spirit after their upset to France last week, dismissed questions about the parallels with four years ago.

Just as in 2010, the two sides are meeting in their final group game. Four years ago a Swiss win by a two-goal margin would have taken them into the second round.

Hitzfeld said it was no use making comparisons “because Switzerland are going to win. It’s as simple as that.

“The team today has more offensive potential.”

The group is exceedingly tight and the Swiss could qualify with a draw if the French beat Ecuador.

For Honduras, only a win will do if they are to have any chance of reaching the second round.

Key statistics

• Switzerland last qualified from the group stage in 2006 but lost in the second round to Ukraine.

• Honduras need a win to have any chance of reaching the second round. They must beat the Swiss and hope France defeat Ecuador while also needing enough goals to be scored in both matches to turn around a -4 goal difference with the Ecuadoreans.

• Switzerland are undefeated against CONCACAF teams, having earned one win and two draws.

• France scored their 100th World Cup goal when they got their first against Switzerland on Friday. Their tally now stands at 104.

Previous meetings

• France have played Ecuador once before in May 2008 when they won 2-0 in Grenoble.

• The only previous time Honduras and Switzerland have met in the World Cup was in a final group game in 2010. The game ended goalless.

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