Lyon look to make light work of Lille OSC as Paris FC ponder how to cushion from PSG’s second-place push: D1 Arkema Week 10 Preview
• Lyon boast of the meanest defence in the league, conceding an average 0.44 goals per game
Unbeaten log leaders Lyon kickstart matchday 10 of the D1 Arkema when they welcome league debutants Lille OSC to Terrain d'honneur Gérard Houllier on Friday night.
Having enjoyed a clean sweep in the league, amassing 27 points and scoring an unprecedented 36:4 goals, Lyon will be out to maintain their foothold on top spot in this penultimate fixture before the winter break.
In-form attacker Ada Hegerberg (six goals), who scored a second half brace having been introduced for the second half against Guingamp in the previous match, will be hoping to continue her goalscoring streak as she aims to climb up the goalscoring charts. Hegerberg’s fellow attacking duo of Eugénie Le Sommer (seven goals) and Kadidiatou Diani (three goals) will also be eager to increase their tallies against the league’s third worst defence with a goal difference of (-12). Lyon also boast of the league’s meanest defence having shipped in just four goals from nine matches.
On the other hand, LOSC – winless in their last five matches with only a draw to show for it – will have their work cutout trying to contain a free scoring Lyon.
Ranked ninth in the league and having amassed six points from a possible 27, the visitors have failed to replicate the form that saw them beat fourth-placed Fleury 2-1 on 7th October.
Meanwhile, second-placed Paris FC, five points adrift of log-leaders Lyon and enjoying a stellar season in the front, make a trip to Stade Bernard Gasset Terrain n°7 for a date against fifth-placed Montpellier on Saturday.
Enjoying a great measure of recovery from a heavy 6-1 defeat at the hands of Lyon on matchday six, Paris FC will be eager to maintain pressure on the log-leaders as well as cushion themselves from pressure from third-placed city rivals Paris Saint-Germain.
With a win rate of 50% from 10 meetings with Montpellier, winning five, drawing one and losing four matches, the Parisans will be eager to continue with their dominance over the hosts who are in very good home form.
Boasting of one of the best attacking lines in the division consisting of Louise Fleury (six goals), Gaëtane Thiney (five goals) and Julie Dufour (four goals), who are enjoying a purple patch, coach Sandrine Soubeyrand will be confident going into this encounter.
On the other hand, Montpellier - in mixed form in D1 Arkema having won three home games at Stade Bernard Gasset Terrain n°7 - will be out to maintain good form at home as they continue their fight for Europe come 2024.
Montpellier’s top markswoman Faustine Robert, with five goals and zero assist in 774 minutes of football, will be hoping to add to her tally after an impressive start to the season which has seen her record an xG of 1.9.
Coach Yannick Chandioux will also be hoping his defence, which has seen fewer goals conceded and ranks sixth in the league with a goal difference of (-3), continues to perform if the team is to have a shot at a place in Europe next season.
Third-placed Paris Saint Germain travel to Stade Océane for a match-up against seventh-place Le Havre on Sunday night.
PSG, who have won their last five matches in D1 Arkema, will be eager to continue with their ascendancy on the log.
Coach Joselyn Precheur will be hoping that Tabitha Chawinga (six goals/three assists) and an in-form Marie-Antoinette Katoto (three goals/three assists) provide enough goal threat for the former champions.
The rearguard of Élisa De Almeida and summer recruit Clare Hunt, ranked the second best in the league having conceded just five goals, will be rubbing their hands at the prospect of dominating Le Havre’s frontline which is facing a dearth in goals and averaging 1.44 goals per game (13 in 9).
Le Havre, on the other hand, on a five-match unbeaten streak, albeit having drawn three of those, will be hoping to continue posting positive results.
Forward Inès Benyahia (three goals/one assist), top scorer for the hosts, will be eager to come tops against one of the best defences in the division.
Fourth-placed FC Fleury 91 make a trip to Stade Louis Blériot N°1 for a date against Stade de Reims on Saturday afternoon.
Fleury, who have won four, drawn two and lost three of their nine matches this season, will be eager to move a gear up after having played out to a draw in their previous encounter against Le Havre.
With leading goal scorer Ewelina Kamczyk (five goals/two assists) pivotal to their European push, the home team will be eager to get a result on the road.
On the other hand, Reims, who have in their ranks Kinga Szemik – the division’s keeper with the highest number of clean sheets (5) – will hope that their positive defensive performances carry the day for them.
With one win, two draws and two losses in their previous five, a giant leap will be on the menu.
A push for a respectable finish will be central to Reims approach to this game.
Guingamp, a bag of revels in the past four fixtures with two consecutive defeats immediately after two wins on the bounce, play bottom-placed AS Saint-Étienne at Stade Aimé Jacquet on Saturday afternoon.
Sitting on eighth after having won two, drawn one and lost five of their eight matches and with a game in hand against PSG, Guingamp will be out to pile more misery on AS Saint-Étienne.
The home team will need to work hard to kick start their season having won once, drawn once and lost seven in the league this season so far.
It is a clash of the dumb and the dumber as Bordeaux and Dijon clash in a bottom of the log clash at Stade Gaston-Gérard on Saturday.
It is all to work for as both sides will be looking for an early start to their quest for survival.
FIXTURES: Friday 8 December, 2023 (22:00) Lille OSC vs Lyon
FIXTURES: Saturday 9 December, 2023 (14:00) AS Saint-Étienne vs Guingamp
FIXTURES: Saturday 9 December, 2023 (15:30) Reims vs Fleury
FIXTURES: Sunday 9 December, 2023 (15:30) Dijon vs Bordeaux
FIXTURES: Saturday 9 December, 2023 (15:30) Montpellier vs Paris FC
FIXTURES: Sunday 10 December, 2023 (22:00) Le Havre vs PSG