Le Havre-Lens is a match of the ninth day of Ligue 1 and is played Friday at 9 pm: statistics, probable formations, predictions.
In recent weeks, newly promoted Le Havre has returned to the ranks. For the first time since the league began, it lost two consecutive games, both of which ended without without scoring a goal. Of course, there is the mitigating factor of the value of the opponents, as in the space of a few days it faced Lille (0-2) and Marseille (3-0), two teams built to fight for a place in Europe and that Europe is currently playing them.
Nine points in the standings and +2 on the third-last place in the table represent in any case a good haul for a club that has returned to play in the top flight after a 15-year absence. Before the double knockout, the men led by Slovenian Luka Elsner had strung together four useful results in a row, a streak in which the first victories of the season came, against Lorient and Clermont. The calendar, however, grants no respite, and after the break for national team commitments at the Stade Oceane comes Franck Haise’s Lens, which has found itself again after a disastrous start. The Giallorossi, who last year challenged Psg for the title, have started running again after a summer soccer market session that forced them to say goodbye to some protagonists of last season such as captain Fofana or bomber Openda, who ended up in the Saudi Pro League and Bundesliga, respectively.
The Lens’ positive streak
Lens have one point less than Le Havre but have not lost since their match against Metz last September and in the last three days have collected two wins and a draw.
Abdulaye Touré of Le Havre
Before the break, the Giallorossi drew with Lille (1-1) in the heartfelt Derby du Nord: a Machado goal in the second half thwarted André’s guest lead. Haise in Le Havre rejoined Gradit in defense, but up front he will have to do without striker Wahi, disqualified for added yellows. Heavy absence, as the former Montpellier man was the man of the match in the challenge with Arsenal in the Champions League with a goal and an assist.
The Prediction
Le Havre’s downturn suggests staying with Lens, which is on the upswing after a forgettable start. Despite a few absences, the Giallorossi will be able to avoid defeat in a match of less than four goals overall.
The probable formations of Le Havre-Lens
- LE HAVRE (4-4-2): Desmas; Salmier, Sangante, Lloris, Operi; Nego, Kuzyaev, Touré, Casimir; Alioui, Bayo.
- LENS (3-4-3): Samba; Gradit, Danso, Medina; Aguilar, Abdul Samed, Diouf, Frankowski; Sotoca, Saïd, Fulgini.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 0-1