Angers vs Lille prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2023-04-07 15:00.
A 1-1 home draw against Nice may have halted rock-bottom Angers’ dreadful run of five consecutive losses in Ligue 1, but things still look mathematically challenging with a 15-point gap to safety ahead of the round. Things aren’t much better off the pitch either, as the club's current owner, Saïd Chabane, was taken into custody on Tuesday for "organised money laundering".
That only serves to rub salt in the wounds of an Angers side who have won just one of their 15 league home games this campaign (D3, L11), though the fact they failed to score only three times in the process suggests that their biggest concern lies at the back. The visit of Lille, a side against whom they’ve not conceded more than once against in the previous three H2Hs, could therefore be seen as a reasonable opportunity to claim their first league win since mid-September.
Since bravely losing 4-3 to league-leaders PSG in mid-February, an in-form Lille have come into their own and are buoyed by a five-game unbeaten run (W3, D2), capped off by a 3-1 home win against Lorient last weekend. Sitting in the top-five as a result, and knowing their closest challengers Rennes don't play until Sunday, Paulo Fonseca’s men will look to stretch their cushion to the chasing pack with a crucial win here.
Boosting belief they can do so, the LOSC have travelled well to this venue of late, avoiding defeat in their last three visits to Stade Raymond-Kopa (W2, D1), and should be confident of extending that given they’re unbeaten away from home against current bottom-half sides this season (W5, D2). A fit and firing attack could be key to extending that run, as three of those five wins have seen the 2020/21 Ligue 1 champions score exactly three goals.
Players to watch: Angers’ resurgence may need a lift from Brighton loanee Abdallah Sima who has netted each of his four competitive goals in 2022/23 on home soil. Lille will hope their lucky charm Mohamed Bayo can find the net given he has led his team to victory in his four goalscoring outings this campaign.
Hot streak: Angers are the only Ligue 1 side not to win a home game this term after scoring first (D1, L2).