Lens vs Strasbourg prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2024-02-09 16:00.
Following defeats to title hopefuls Nice and Paris Saint-Germain either side of New Year’s Day, Lens secured clean-sheet victories at Toulouse (2-0) and Nantes (1-0) to leap back into Ligue 1’s top six. As a result of that latter win, the Blood and Gold began this round as one of only three clubs in the division to have registered ten league clean sheets this season, the first of which was achieved in the reverse fixture against upcoming opponents Strasbourg in a 1-0 triumph.
That particular victory extended Lens’ unbeaten sequence in this H2H matchup to three games (W2, D1), whilst it was the second of nine wins in their last 15 top flight encounters against all opposition (D4, L2). Franck Haise’s men have been particularly strong at home and especially in the second half, scoring nine times in the league this season and letting in just three goals, a goal difference only bettered in that specific time period after the end of last round by Nice and PSG!
After knocking Le Havre out of the Coupe de France on Wednesday, Strasbourg can close the deficit from Lens to four points by upsetting the odds at Stade Bollaert-Delelis. Patrick Vieira is certainly looking to the future this season, fielding the youngest starting XI that Ligue 1 has seen for almost two years (average age: 22.8 years) during Le Racing’s 2-1 loss to PSG last Friday.
But with youth often comes inconsistency, underlined both by their current position of tenth and their indifferent run across their last 11 league outings (W3, D6, L2) – with none of the five wins/losses coming by more than a one-goal margin. Despite having netted just eight times away from home in Ligue 1 this campaign, five of those goals came in the 80th minute onwards, including the winner at Metz as well as equalisers in 1-1 draws at Rennes, Brest and Marseille.
Players to watch: David Costa opened the scoring against both Toulouse and Nantes – his first goals since October 2022. After a slow start at Strasbourg, Chelsea loanee Ă‚ngelo Gabriel has two assists in his last four league matches – both in 2-1 scorelines as Vieira’s side beat Lille and lost to PSG.
Hot stat: Only two of Lens’ last 14 league games have seen both teams score on the day.