Angers vs Nantes prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2024-09-21 15:00.
[p]Two teams who’ve made contrasting starts to the season meet on matchday five in Ligue 1, with Angers coming into this clash with Nantes as one of two sides yet to win in the French top-flight this term (D1, L3). They did at least pick up their first point of the season last weekend against Strasbourg (1-1), and while that should boost belief, a run of two wins from their last 17 Ligue 1 home games (D2, L13) will still linger in their minds. [/p]
[p]Nantes coming to town will do little to make them believe they can better that run here, as Angers have actually lost a joint-club high 37 historical games against the Canaries. Avoiding another slow start may be key to ensuring that doesn’t become an outright high here, as Angers have conceded first and trailed at half-time in all four of their Ligue 1 outings this season, a feat they also suffered in the last H2H.[/p]
[p]After an impressive start to the campaign in which they went unbeaten over three games (W2, D1), Nantes fell to their first defeat of the season last weekend against Reims. It was little surprise that first loss came at home, where Nantes have lost ten of their last 11 league games (W1), so a return to the road is likely to be welcomed by boss Antoine Kombouaré, whose side have lost only one of their last seven away league games (W3, D3). [/p]
[p]Three of the last four in that run saw the Canaries fail to score, but across Kombouaré’s last four personal H2H visits to Angers (W3, D1), his side on the day have racked up an impressive 12 goals, so another scoring blank appears unlikely. Another boost perhaps comes in the fact this game will be officiated by Mathieu Vernice, with Nantes boasting a 100% winning record in matches he’s taken charge of (W2), while Angers have lost two of their three games when Vernice was the referee (W1).[/p]
[p]Players to watch: Bamba Dieng opened his Angers account against Strasbourg with his seventh successive club goal to arrive after half-time. Nantes’ Moses Simon has struck decisively before the break with both of his goals this season and he struck after just four minutes on this ground back in 2021. [/p]
[p]Hot stat: Angers have scored exactly once in 12 of their last 15 home league games. [/p]
[p][i]Written by Chris Wilson[/i][/p]