Strasbourg vs Lorient prediction: FRANCE: Ligue 1 betting tips on match 2024-02-17 12:00.
Although Strasbourg have sailed through their three Coupe de France ties so far in 2024, they will be looking for their first Ligue 1 win of the new calendar year (D2, L2) in this early Sunday fixture against Lorient. Historically, Lorient have not been made to feel welcome at the Stade de la Meinau where Patrick Vieira’s Strasbourg will be defending an unbeaten home record in H2Hs (W2, D3)!
Strasbourg have been strong at home recently, with only top of the table PSG beating them across their last six games (W3, D2), but they will be keen to tighten up at the back after registering just one clean sheet from their last nine (W3, D3, L3) outings in front of their own fans. A shutout could be just what is required for the hosts who, ahead of this round, were in tenth place but only six points ahead of their opponents who occupied the relegation play-off spot in 16th.
It’s a slight improvement in fortunes for Lorient who were bottom of the table in 18th at the end of January, with just one win from a period of 16 league games (D5, L10) prior to back-to-back wins away at Metz and at home to Reims. Their turnaround in form can be put down in part to Régis Le Bris’ busy January transfer window which saw five new arrivals and the team have since responded with an unbeaten run of three games (D1).
The win at Metz was particularly notable as it was their first victory on the road since April last season and three points on Sunday would see them register successive away league wins for the first time since October 2022. With 15th-placed Montpellier not in action until later on Sunday, a point would see Lorient move up to safety, at least provisionally, for the first time since early December.
Players to watch: Dilane Bakwa registered Strasbourg’s first goal in their last two home games and he also opened the scoring in the H2H with Lorient in Round 16. A man in even stronger form is Mohamed Bamba who has scored in all three of his appearances since signing for Lorient from Wolfsberger last month.
Hot stat: Each of Strasbourg’s last ten Ligue 1 games saw both teams scored on the day.