Luis Torres
Dailysports's expert
As part of the 34th round of Ligue 1, Strasbourg will take on Le Havre. The match is set for Saturday, 17 May, with kickoff scheduled for 21:00 Central European Time. For this clash, I'm looking at a bet focused on the teams' attacking output.
Strasbourg
Strasbourg are enjoying a very solid season. With one round to go, the team sits sixth in the table with 57 points—the same tally as the clubs in fourth and fifth. The side still have every chance of fighting for a Champions League qualifying spot next season. Strasbourg owe their strong position to an impressive 12-match unbeaten run.
The situation could have been even better if not for a defeat to Angers last round—a result that came as a real surprise. Had they won that game, their direct qualification hopes for the Champions League would have remained alive. Now, to guarantee a European spot, Strasbourg must win this upcoming match against Le Havre, with their final league position dependent on rivals' results.
In the reverse fixture earlier this season, Strasbourg comfortably beat Le Havre away, 3-0.
Le Havre
Le Havre are facing a much more tense situation. The team are 16th—good enough for a relegation play-off spot. But if things go wrong, namely if they lose and Saint-Étienne win, Le Havre could be relegated directly to Ligue 2. To avoid that, they either need a victory or must hope Saint-Étienne drop points. Ideally, they win themselves and hope for Nantes or Reims to lose, which would secure their Ligue 1 status without the play-off.
In recent rounds, Le Havre have tried to improve their position. They drew 1-1 with Monaco, secured a crucial away victory over Auxerre (2-1), but then lost 1-3 to Marseille.
Head-to-head stats against Strasbourg aren't on Le Havre's side—just one win and five defeats in their last six meetings. Nevertheless, there's no room for hesitation now: they must take matters into their own hands and fight to the final whistle, as their rivals are up against less formidable opponents and could easily pick up points. Only a win guarantees Le Havre a chance to stay in Ligue 1.
Key facts and head-to-head stats
- Strasbourg are unbeaten in 12 of their last 13 matches.
- Strasbourg have won 4 of their last 5 home games.
- Both teams have scored in 4 of Strasbourg's last 5 matches.
- Le Havre are winless in 4 of their last 5 matches.
- Both teams have scored in 13 of Le Havre's last 14 matches.
- Strasbourg have won 5 of their last 6 head-to-heads.
- Strasbourg have won 3 of their last 4 home meetings against Le Havre.
Probable line-ups
- Strasbourg: Petrovic, Doué, Doucouré, Sarr, Bakwa, Santos, Barco, Moreira, Lemarechal, Diarra, Mara.
- Le Havre: Gorgelin, Nego, Quinquë, Sangante, Ballo-Touré, Mwanga, Touré, Kechta, Soumaré, Casimir, Ayew.
Strasbourg vs Le Havre match prediction
Both teams need nothing less than a win in this match, so we can expect an open and eventful encounter. Strasbourg will push hard to book a European spot, while Le Havre are fighting for their top-flight survival. Both sides will play with maximum motivation and are likely to take risks going forward. Given Strasbourg's need for goal difference and Le Havre's desperate situation, there's a high chance of a goal-filled contest with both teams finding the net. My bet for this match is over 2.5 goals at odds of 1.53.
