St Etienne vs Lille prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2024-09-12 18:45.
[p]Saint-Étienne have not enjoyed the start they dreamed of on their return to the top flight after a two-year absence. The Greens, who were promoted after winning the play-offs in Ligue 2 in 2023/24, reconvene after the international break rock bottom of the table after losing each of their three matches, while they are the only team in the division yet to score a goal so far this season![/p]
[p]It is a sign of the pressure on Olivier Dall’Oglio that, following the 4-0 drubbing at Brest to round off August, he has already used 23 different players as he attempts to find that winning formula. The manager has attributed the fact they have conceded seven goals in 2024/25 to a “lack of malice”, but with nine summer transfers to integrate, he admits it was always going to take time for the team to gel.[/p]
[p]Supporters may be forgiven for expecting another rough week in this clash against Lille, given that the visitors are unbeaten in the last seven H2Hs at any venue (W3, D4), keeping four clean sheets in the process! That could be the confidence boost that Lille need as they travel to Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, after they headed into club football’s hiatus after successive defeats to Slavia Prague in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) and Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1. [/p]
[p]Even so, it has been a pretty decent start to life in the dugout for new boss Bruno GĂ©nĂ©sio, who has helped the Mastiffs to two wins from their opening three league matches for the first time since 2020/21 – the year they won Ligue 1 – and guided them to the UCL league stage. A repeat of that title success might be unlikely this season, but the head coach is “satisfied” with the start to the campaign, while the two-week break ought to have given him time to get new signings Matias Fernandez-Pardo and Mitchel Bakker up to speed as they prepare to make their debuts.[/p]
[p]Key battle[/p]
[p]Experienced Saint-Étienne captain Yunis Abdelhamid may be dreading this match-up, as he has helped earn a clean sheet in just three of his 13 career meetings with Lille (W4, D4, L5). Attempting to worsen that record will likely be Lille’s Mohamed Bayo, who is on a run of eight victories from the last nine club games in which he has scored (L1).[/p]
[p]Match stats extra[/p]
[p]*Six of the last seven goals that Lille have netted have come after half-time.[/p]
[p]*None of the last ten H2H matches between St Etienne and Lille saw both teams score in both halves.[/p]
[p]*St Etienne have committed the highest number of fouls this season so far. In three matches they have already committed 53 fouls (the league average is 35.9 fouls) at an average of 17.7 per match.[/p]
[p]*Lille have allowed just 18 goal attempts this season so far (the league average is 34.7 goal attempts) at 6.0 per match, the lowest number this season so far.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Matt Jones[/i][/p]