Lens vs Brest Prediction: Roy’s boys made to wait longer for first win

After two games of the new Ligue 1 season, Brest remain winless, having followed up a 3-3 draw at home to Lille with a 2-0 defeat at Toulouse. Next up for Les Pirates is a Friday night (20:00 BST, Ligue 1 Pass) trip to the Stade Bollaert-Delelis to take on Lens, who lost 1-0 there to Lyon on the opening weekend before getting off the mark with a 2-1 win at Le Havre last weekend.

Below are my Lens vs Brest predictions, supported by all the latest team news and match odds.

Team News

Jhoanner Chavez (ankle) and Martin Satriano (leg) look set to miss out again for Lens, who could name an unchanged starting XI following last weekend's success at the Stade Oceane.

Football Odds

Head coach Pierre Sage handed a debut to Malian midfielder Mamadou Sangare, who recently joined from Austrian outfit Rapid Wien, against Le Havre, and the 23-year-old could receive more second-half minutes on Friday.

Brest don't appear to have any injury concerns, and added to their options earlier this week with the signing of Malian defender Daouda Guindo, who left Red Bull Salzburg in the summer. The 22-year-old left-back hasn't played since a brief appearance on March 30, though, so is unlikely to feature on Friday.

Today's Football Fixtures

Joris Chotard made his Brest debut as a late substitute against Toulouse last weekend, and the 23-year-old midfielder may be pushing for a start this time around.

Lens vs Brest Odds

Lens have won all three meetings with Brest since the start of last year and are 19/20 to make it four in a row on Friday, implying a 51.3% chance of success, while Brest are 3/1, or a 25% chance, to claim their first three points of the new campaign. The draw, meanwhile, is available at 5/2.

Wesley Said, who opened the scoring from the spot for Lens against Le Havre last Sunday, heads the anytime goalscorer market at 13/8, while Brest's leading marksman last season, Ludovic Ajorque, is first up for the visitors at 23/10.

Double Chance & Both Teams to Score - Lens or Draw & Yes @ 6/5

Lens have won the last two head-to-heads at this stadium without conceding a goal, triumphing 1-0 in the 2023/24 campaign and 2-0 last season, but both teams to score has been a winning selection in five of the last seven meetings, home or away, including Les Sang et Or's 3-1 victory at the Stade Francis-Le Ble in April earlier this year.

After two games each this term, neither Lens nor Brest have recorded a clean sheet, conceding twice and five times, respectively. Brest (three) have scored more goals than Lens (two), though, and struck 52, 10 more than Friday's hosts (42), in Ligue 1 last season.

At home, and after a confidence-boosting victory at Le Havre, Lens will be expected to take the initiative in this contest, particularly given Brest's shortcomings so far this month. A strong recent home record against Les Pirates - they've won the last three head-to-heads at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis - adds to the feeling.

Brest, though, have goals in their ranks, with their attack spearheaded by Ajorque, who notched 13 times in 31 league appearances last season, and he'll be desperate to get off the mark on Friday.

I can see at least a couple of goals in this encounter, with at least one strike on either side, but if a side were to win it, I'd back it to be the hosts, so I'm taking them on the Double Chance and BTTS-Yes market at 6/5.

Player to Receive a Card - Adrien Thomasson (LEN) @ 5/1

This is terrific value, in my opinion, considering Lens midfielder Adrien Thomasson averaged 1.5 fouls per game in Ligue 1 last season, picking up seven yellow cards across 33 appearances (31 starts).

The 31-year-old has already been booked this term, receiving a caution on the hour mark against Le Havre last Sunday for a foul on Rassoul Ndiaye.

Thomasson avoided a card against Brest last season, but gave away a couple of free-kicks in that Stade Bollaert-Delelis win last August, and one in another victory over the same opposition in April.

The Frenchman was actually sent off against Brest in August 2023 for a foul on Romain Del Castillo, who remains a starter for Eric Roy's side.

As well as Del Castillo, Thomasson could be in close contact on Friday with Brest midfielder Pierre Lees-Melou, who was fouled, on average, 1.5 times per Ligue 1 game last season, so the Lens man could be tempted into a few challenges, which may result in him being scribbled into the referee's notebook.

Offers

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