Preview: Paris FC vs Lorient - prediction, team news, lineups

Two of the newly promoted sides from last season will meet for the first time in a Ligue 1 affair on Friday as Paris FC host Lorient at Stade Jean-Bouin.

These teams are both on seven points after six matchdays, with Paris collecting a 1-1 draw at Nice and Les Merlus surprising Monaco with a 3-1 win.

Match preview

For a second successive match, Paris FC left it late last weekend, but this time were able to earn a point, moving up to 11th in the table.

After six league contests, Stephane Gilli’s men have taken four points after conceding first, avoiding defeat in two of their previous three games in Ligue 1 and 2 when doing so.

Their last three goals scored in this competition occurred with fewer than 10 minutes remaining, while they have conceded just one opening half goal in their last three domestic outings.

A defeat on Friday would give them two in a row at home, their longest home losing run in league play since March to April 2023 (two), when they played at Stade Sebastien-Chartery.

This team are on a nine-match home winning run domestically when scoring first, with all of those triumphs coming in their previous Ligue 2 campaign.

Paris have never lost a contest against Lorient in the French capital, hanging on for a narrow 3-2 victory the last time they faced them in Ligue 2 a season ago at Stade Sebastien-Chartery.

Finding a way to get a man advantage has been the best recipe for success at Lorient, and the reason they have jumped up the standings.

Six of their seven points this season have come when they were up by a man or two in a game, with seven of their nine goals coming in that scenario.

Unfortunately, they have not had a man advantage on the road this season, with Lorient claiming just one point as the visitors, while being outscored by a combined margin of 6-1 in those three away affairs.

On the positive side, though, Olivier Pantaloni’s team have points in two successive league games and on Friday can go unbeaten in at least three straight top-flight outings for the first time since January-February 2024 (four).

This club have not lost a Ligue 1 match when scoring multiple times in 90 minutes since early December 2023, when Marseille beat them 4-2.

Although their last match against Paris FC ended in defeat, Les Merlus have earned points in seven of their previous eight meetings with Paris FC across all competitions.

Paris FC Ligue 1 form:

Lorient Ligue 1 form:

Team News

At Nice last weekend, Paris were without Pierre-Yves Hamel, who was dealing with a hamstring strain, while Lohann Doucet and Vincent Marchetti were sidelined because of knocks.

Jean-Philippe Krasso came on for Adama Camara in the latter stages on matchday six and wound up being the hero, converting the equaliser from the spot for his first league goal of the season.

Meanwhile, for Lorient, Bandiougou Fadiga, Trevan Sanusi and Nathaniel Adjei missed the Monaco match with ankle issues, Panos Katseris had a sore thigh, while Darlin Yongwa is eligible to return on Friday from suspension.

Mohamed Bamba was questionable with a knock before that match but wound up playing over an hour and scoring the opener, with Pablo Pagis netting a second-half brace to secure his side maximum points.

Paris FC possible starting lineup:

Nkambadio; Traore, Mbow, Otavio, De Smet; M. Lopez, Lees-Melou, Camara; Kebbal, Geubbels, Simon

Lorient possible starting lineup:

Mvogo; Meite, Talbi, Faye; Le Bris, Avom, Abergel, Kouassi; Dermane, Aiyegun; Soumano

We say: Paris FC 3-1 Lorient

Barring an unforeseen red card for the home side, we expect the dynamic Paris attack will overwhelm Lorient, who really look unsettled defensively away from home.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.