The French top flight action continues on Sunday with newcomers, Ajaccio, taking on Lens at the Stade François Coty, with the hosts keen to bounce back from last weekend’s opening game loss away from home at Lyon.
It has been nine seasons since Ajaccio last appeared in the French top flight but it wasn’t the sort of start that they had had in mind ahead of this new Ligue 1 campaign when they were handed a 2-1 defeat away at Lyon, so the hosts will be keen to open their account here this Sunday.
🎥 𝙍𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙫𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙨RC Lens 3-2 Stade Brestois 29#FierDEtreLensois #RCLSB29 pic.twitter.com/hamKN5js2G— Racing Club de Lens (@RCLens) August 10, 2022
🎥 𝙍𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙫𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙨RC Lens 3-2 Stade Brestois 29#FierDEtreLensois #RCLSB29 pic.twitter.com/hamKN5js2G
Ajaccio had previously achieved automatic promotion from Ligue 2 at the end of last season, finishing runners-up behind the title winners, Toulouse, so this fresh top flight campaign brings fresh optimism in the Ajaccio camp.
However, recent results suggest Ajaccio could struggle here once again as the hosts have lost three out of their last five games overall which includes pre-season losses to Caen and Paris FC, and Ajaccio will also be missing forward, Hamouma, who will be absent through suspension.
Lens narrowly missed out on achieving a top five finish in last season’s Ligue 1 campaign as they ended up four points adrift of 5th placed finishers Nice in what was generally considered a creditable campaign by the visitors.
Lens put together a solid run of results in the French top flight from mid-February onwards which saw the visitors suffer just the two defeats in their final 15 games of last term, losing to Brest and Strasbourg but also picking up nine wins in the process under manager, Franck Haise.
Accordingly, results away from home also improved for Lens as the visitors lost just two of their final nine games on the road which included wins at Saint Etienne, Angers, Lille, Reims and Troyes along with holding French champions, PSG, to a 1-1 draw as well.
It’s this sort of form that manager Haise will be keen for his side to replicate this season as they go in search of a top five finish this time around and having won three of their last four away games in Ligue 1, Lens will fancy their chances here.
Lens will be without forward Buksa (broken leg), while goalkeeper Farinez, defender Fortes and midfielder Kakuta are all rated as doubtful for this trip to Ajaccio.
Lens made big strides last season and the visitors should be too strong for Ajaccio here.