Le Havre vs Lens
Ligue 1
Friday
20th October 2023
Stade Oceane
The most comprehensive preview, detailed analysis and reliable predictions of the Ligue 1 gameweek 9 fixture between Le Havre and Lens.
Le Havre vs Lens: Preview
Le Havre form analysis
Les Ciel et Marine started this period by beating Lorient 3-0 at home, with goals from Kuzyaev, Alioui and Mbemba. A strong performance. They then earned a credible 0-0 draw away at Lyon to continue their unbeaten start. A 2-1 home win over Clermont followed thanks to strikes from Alioui and Bayo, despite conceding before half time. However, Le Havre’s run ended with a 0-2 home loss to Lille. Own goal and Zhegrova scored for Lille. Most recently, Le Havre suffered a heavy 0-3 home defeat to Marseille. Aubameyang and Sarr scored for Marseille.
Overall, Le Havre had made an impressive start on their return to Ligue 1, but the losses to Lille and Marseille highlighted the step up in class. They have shown attacking threat with Alioui impressing. But if Le Havre are to avoid relegation, tightening up defensively will be key for coach Luka Elsner.
Lens form analysis
Lens began their season with a 3-0 loss to Monaco at home. They struggled defensively as Monaco scored three goals, two in the first half. In their next match, Lens lost 1-0 on the road against Metz, conceding late in the first half. However, Lens rebounded with a 2-1 home win over Toulouse. They conceded first but equalized just before halftime through Saïd and got the go-ahead goal in the 84th minute through Guilavogui.
Their next match was a tough 0-1 road loss to Strasbourg, where they allowed the lone goal in the 16th minute. In their most recent match, Lens earned a hard-fought 1-1 draw at home against Lille. They went down at halftime but fought back with a goal from Machado in the 70th minute to grab a point. Based on these results, Lens has shown vulnerability on defense early in matches but has the ability to come from behind with goals late. Their home form is better than away, and they can compete with top teams like Lille but still have room for improvement to gain consistency over a full season.
