Eyes on the ball as Lyon host PSG, Paris FC date ASJ: D1 Arkema Week 11 Preview

The most tantalizing match between the top two teams in the league takes place this Sunday evening when title holders Lyon host Paris Saint-Germain at Groupama Stadium.

Enjoying a better head-to-head against their closest title threat having won four of the last five contests, Lyon go into the match with enough spring in their step as they look to buttress control of the championship charge going into the winter break.

Last week’s star of the match Signe Bruun, who smashed three goals and assisted two in her team’s 8-0 win over Dijon to open her scoring account in the league, will look to cement her place in the line-up which comprises an impressive list of other attacking options in Lindsey Horan, Daniëlle van de Donk and Delphine Cascarino, who have 10 goals amongst themselves so far in the league.

Defensive-rock Wandie Renard, who has bagged four goals this season, will hope to guard goal as well as chip in with goals, duties she has carried out with pride this season.

A 4-0 win over FC Zürich Frauen in the champions league on Wednesday will further catalyze Les Gones as they enter into their most domestic clash thus far this season.

As for the Parisans, a victory will be top of the agenda as they look to wrestle the initiative from Lyon.

League’s top scorer Kadidiatou Diani, who is on eight goals, will be out to give the Lyon’s defense a torrid afternoon having been involved in a goal every game across all competitions this season.

Having conceded six goals this season in the league, the same number of goals conceded by their opponents, the defense of Swedish Amanda Ilestedt, French Elisa de Almeida, Canadian Ashley Lawrence and Sakina Karchaoui will be out to keep out the marauding Lyon frontline.

A successful Thursday night in Europe which saw them score four without response from KF Vllaznia Shkodër will be enough motivation as they focus on finishing the domestic calendar year on a high.

Meanwhile, smarting from a 1-0 defeat to their city rivals PSG, Paris FC will be out to regain momentum when they visit struggling ASJ Soyaux-Charente on Saturday.

Having won seven and drawn three against Soyaux-Charente, with a 13:1 goal ratio in their last five encounters, Paris will be out to pile more misery on their opponents who last won on September 24^th.

Spearhead Mathilde Bourdieu, who has six goals this season, will be out to pile pressure on Diani in the race for the golden boot. Striker Clara Matéo, who has seen her stork steadily rise having had a slow start to the season, will look to add to her four goals as she ably assists Bourdieu’s search for goals.

On the other hand, Soyaux-Charente, who have failed to shake-off last season’s lethargy, will have their work cut-out in their quest to post only their second victory of the season.

With a goal deficit of 11, the central defensive duo of Ipek Kaya and skipper Siga Tandia will have a torrid time keeping out the Paris FC frontline which possesses immense scoring prowess.

Montpeller HSC, who seem to be struggling for consistency this season, travel to Stade Océane for a date with eighth-placed Le Havre AC on Sunday afternoon.

Having met twice and won both fixtures against Le Havre, with an impressive 7:2 goal ratio, Montpellier will aim for maximum points to keep their fight for Europe alive.

Strikers Nérilia Mondésir and Faustine Roberts, on six goals and five goals respectively from 10 matches this season, will be eager to remain prominent in the tussle for the golden boot.

On the other hand, the hosts, who surrendered to a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Reims last week, will look to dust themselves up and continue with their ascendancy on the log. Kelsey Araújo, who smashed three past Dijon, will hope to rediscover her scoring touch which deserted her last week.

Fifth-placed FC Fleury 91 take on sixth-placed FC Girondins de Bordeaux in a mid-table clash at Stade Robert Bobin on Friday.

With the visitors having won three times and lost twice their last five contests against FC Fleury, a win will feature high on the agenda as they look to grab the bragging rights from this mid-table fixture.

Maelle Garbino, a goal-scorer of repute who has literally carried the visiting side’s campaign with some important goals, will look to add to her seven this season in leading her side to another set of maximum points.

A 3-1 win over Rodez last week will be enough spring in Bordeaux’s step going into this fixture.

As for FC Fleury, a quick return to winning ways will be the bare minimum having fought out a draw against Montpellier last week.

Striker Rosemonde Kouassi, whose petulance is slowly overshadowing her goal scoring prowess having been suspended twice already this season, will be out to score again having last done so on October 10 against Rodez. Batcheba Louis, who has drawn level on goals with Kouassi on four goals and has carried the team whenever her strike partner is off the goals, will hope to continue providing the goals.

Rodez Aveyron Football and En Avant Guingamp square-off at Stade de la Roque 1 on Saturday with both sides aiming for maximum points having had in indifferent campaign thus far this season.

Rodez, smarting from a 3-1 defeat to Bordeaux, will be eager to make their league ranking count as they occupy 11th as compared to Guingamp’s 12th position.

On the other hand. Guingamp will hope to scoop maximum points for the second successive week having bagged their first three points last week against Soyaux-Charente.

Striker Sarah Cambot, who scored a brace last week, will be eager to continue her goal scoring exploits for the bottom-placed side.

Click on a match below to follow it Live! on forzafootball.com and on the Forza Football App

FIXTURES: Friday 09 December, 2022 (19:00) FC Fleury 91 vs FC Girondins de Bordeaux

FIXTURES: Saturday 10 December, 2022 (15:30) Dijon Football Côte d'Or vs Stade de Reims

FIXTURES: Saturday 10 December, 2022 (15:30) ASJ Soyaux-Charente vs Paris FC

FIXTURES: Saturday 10 December, 2022 (15:30) Rodez Aveyron Football vs En Avant Guingamp

FIXTURES: Sunday 11 December, 2022 (13:45) Le Havre AC vs Montpellier HSC

FIXTURES: Sunday 11 December, 2022 (22:00) Olympique Lyonnais vs vs Paris Saint-Germain FC

All Times are Central European Time (CET)