Preview: Le Havre vs Brest - prediction, team news, lineups

Looking to establish a more consistent run of form, Le Havre welcome Brest to Stade Oceane for this midweek’s matchday 10 clash in Ligue 1.

Le Club Doyen ended a five-game winless run (D3, L2) with a 1-0 victory away at Auxerre at the weekend, while Les Pirates are aiming to halt their own three-match drought (D2, L2).

Match preview

All credit to an Abdoulaye Toure strike in the second half, Havre claimed the spoils in Sunday’s early-season scrap at Stade de l’Abbe-Deschamps, with the result lifting Didier Digard’s men out of the bottom three.

The success came as a fitting response to the Sky-and-Navy’s 6-2 thrashing at the hands of Marseille the previous week and leaves the Dean Club 14th in the standings, with nine points from as many matches (W2, D3, L4), now sitting one clear of the playoff spot.

Looking to steer further clear of danger, maximum points will undoubtedly be the target on Wednesday, but Havre must overcome their inconsistent run, having failed to record back-to-back wins in the top flight since between late March and early April, with 15 games played since then.

Home form also offers little respite, with Le Club Doyen managing just two victories in their last 16 Ligue 1 matches at Stade Oceane (D4, L10) – a statistic that hardly inspires confidence, particularly as the Sky-and-Navy face a side they have not beaten in their last six league meetings (W5, D1).

In fact, the most recent four in this sequence have all ended in defeat for Havre, while they have failed to find the net in the last three, conceding four during that stretch, and it remains to be seen how Digard’s men – who have scored 11 and conceded 16 this season – will fare on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, there is some doubt over Brest extending their dominant run in this fixture after hitting three games without victory following Saturday’s 3-0 defeat at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain.

While the loss to the reigning champions is hardly surprising, head coach Eric Roy will be concerned by his side’s sluggish start to the Ligue 1 campaign, with just two wins from nine matches (D3, L4).

Brest began the season without a victory in their opening four games (D1) before claiming consecutive triumphs against Nice (4-1) and Angers (2-0), but back-to-back draws against Nantes (0-0) and Lorient, followed by last weekend’s defeat, leave Les Pirates four points worse off than they were at this stage last term.

Defensive frailties have been more of a problem than attack for Roy’s men, with their 14 goals scored bettered by only six other sides, while conceding 17 at the other end gives them the joint-third worst record in the division – only faring better than two of the bottom three teams, Lorient (21) and Metz (26).

That said, an improved record on the road should offer some optimism heading into Wednesday’s trip, with Brest picking up four points from their last two away games after losing the first two of the campaign.

Le Havre Ligue 1 form:

Brest Ligue 1 form:

Team News

Havre appear to have a fully fit squad, with all regulars available for this encounter, while the return of centre-back Gautier Lloris, who was suspended for the previous game, should provide a boost in defence.

Aside from the likelihood of Etienne Youte Kinkoue making way for Lloris, head coach Digard is expected to retain a similar lineup to the one deployed in the previous outing in a 4-2-2-2 setup.

Toure is enjoying a fine run, having found the target in consecutive games, and will be looking to add to his tally once again from midfield.

Issa Soumare has been directly involved in five goals (G3, A2) – the most of any Havre player – and will be heavily relied upon in attack, along with Rassoul Ndiaye, who has also struck three times from midfield.

Brest forward Ludovic Ajorque has not contributed to a goal since netting and providing three assists against Nice on matchday five, but may take encouragement from the fact that he was the match-winner in this corresponding fixture last season.

Attacking duo Kamory Doumbia and Remy Lascary were sidelined in the defeat to PSG, making their availability for this game doubtful.

Mama Balde, who made his return from injury with a 23-minute cameo last time out, should boost Roy’s attacking options.

Le Havre possible starting lineup:

Diaw; Nego, Sangante, Lloris, Zouaoui; Ndiaye, Seko; Kechta, Toure; Samatta, Soumare

Brest possible starting lineup:

Majecki; Lala, Chardonnet, Coulibaly, Locko; Chotard, Magnetti; Balde, Castillo, Ebimbe; Ajorque

We say: Le Havre 1-1 Brest

Le Havre will be buoyed by their success from the previous outing and are likely to end their poor run in front of goal in this fixture, particularly with the visitors showing vulnerabilities at the back.

That said, Brest had started to regain rhythm before their four-game unbeaten run was halted by PSG, a result that should be seen as a blip given the calibre of opponent, so a share of the spoils looks the most probable outcome.

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