Preview: Hauts Lyonnais vs Lorient - prediction, team news, lineups

Top-flight side Lorient aim to make it past the Coupe de France round of 32 for just the second time in the last eight campaigns as they take on lower-league minnows Hauts Lyonnais on Saturday.

This will be the first-ever meeting between the two teams in any competition, and it takes place at L’Envol Stadium, with Hauts being the nominal hosts, as their traditional home ground, Stade de la Neyliere, cannot accommodate a large crowd.

Match preview

Lorient do have a place in Coupe de France history, having lifted the trophy in 2001–02, but they have struggled to replicate that success since.

Following that historic triumph, Les Merlus have reached the semi-finals only twice, while more recent campaigns have ended on disappointing notes.

Both of the last two seasons have seen them eliminated by lower-division opposition, with the most recent setback coming against Championnat National 2 side Cannes in the sixth round of the 2024–25 edition, when Lorient themselves were competing in Ligue 2.

However, they have so far left nothing to chance in this campaign, thrashing Guadeloupean outfit AS Gosier 7–0 in the previous round in what was their final outing of 2025.

Olivier Pantaloni’s side began the new year with a 1–1 draw against Metz at the weekend, a result that leaves Les Merlus 12th in the Ligue 1 standings and extends their unbeaten run to seven matches across all competitions (W3, D4).

This fixture marks Hauts’ first appearance of 2026, with their last outing coming on December 21, when they claimed a 1–0 victory over 10-man Bassin d’Arcachon in the Coupe de France round of 64.

Substitute Quentin Jeanpierre was the hero on that occasion, scoring the decisive goal in stoppage time to secure the Pomeys-based club’s first-ever place in the round of 32.

Ahmed Ait Ouarab’s side had already progressed through earlier phases via penalty shoot-outs, and they have now lost just one of their last 13 matches across all competitions, with three draws in that run.

Seven of the remaining games have ended in victory, including a 1–0 league success over US Cosne on December 12, leaving Hauts second in the Championnat National 3 Group G table and four points off the summit.

Hauts Lyonnais Coupe de France form:

Hauts Lyonnais form (all competitions):

Lorient Coupe de France form:

Lorient form (all competitions):

Team News

Left-back Thomas Blot was forced off through injury in the win over Bassin d’Arcachon, making his availability uncertain, with Romain Poncet likely to fill in should the former miss out.

Otherwise, a similar lineup could be deployed, with Isidore Tissot expected to continue in goal and Adel Belaroussi leading the line once again, although Jeanpierre is pushing for a start following his match-winning contribution last time out.

Lorient will once again be without Arthur Avom and Darlin Yongwa, both of whom remain on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

However, Arsene Kouassi (Burkina Faso), Montassar Talbi (Tunisia) and Tosin Aiyegun (Benin) should return to contention following their nations’ elimination from the tournament.

On the injury front, Lorient are expected to remain without Abdoulaye Faye and Isaak Toure due to foot and knee issues, respectively, while Panos Katseris continues his recovery from a thigh problem.

Bamba Dieng has scored four goals across his last two appearances, including a hat-trick in the previous-round demolition of Gosier and the equaliser against Metz last weekend, so he will head into this tie full of confidence.

Hauts Lyonnais possible starting lineup:

Tissot; Hospital, Halaimia, Muller, Poncet; Crottin, Bouguerra, Thizy; Njedi, Belaroussi, Boussaid

Lorient possible starting lineup:

Kamara; Meite, Adjei, Igor Silva; Mugisha, Karim, Cadiou, Le Bris; Dieng, Pagis; Bamba