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Ajaccio will host Lens at the Stade Francois Coty on Sunday in the second gameweek of the 2022-23 Ligue 1.
The Bears kicked off their league campaign on the wrong foot, as they were beaten 2-1 by Olympique Lyonnais. The league's new boys found themselves two goals down just 20 minutes into the game. They halved the deficit from the penalty spot but saw their comeback chances peter out after Romain Hamouma saw red just before the interval.
Manager Olivier Pantaloni has now steered Ajaccio to top-flight football in two different tenures. He'll hope his men can pick up a win in their first home game since their promotion to Ligue 1.
Lens, meanwhile, secured maximum points in their first Ligue 1 game of the season, beating Brest 3-2. Florian Sotocca was in inspired form, scoring a hat-trick for the Blood and Gold despite missing a penalty in the first half. That helped put the game beyond Brest, despite their late push for a comeback.
Lens will hope to have an easier outing against their newly promoted hosts on Sunday as they target back-to-back league wins.
Ajaccio vs Lens Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- There have been 22 meetings between Ajaccio and Lens. The hosts have won just four of those games, while Lens have won eight times. Their eight other meetings have ended in draws.
- The visitors have won their last two games in this fixture and have lost just two of their last 11.
- Ajaccio are without a clean sheet in their last three games in this fixture.
- The Bears conceded just 19 league goals last season, the fewest in the top three tiers of French football.
- All but three of Lens' league defeats last season came on the road.
- The visitors scored 62 goals in the league last season, their highest goal tally in a single season since the 1980s.
Ajaccio vs Lens Prediction
Ajaccio had mixed results in the off-season and have begun their league campaign with defeat. They, however, won their final five games at the Stade Francois Coty last season and will hope to capitalise on their home advantage this weekend.
Lens, meanwhile, enjoyed a brilliant preseason, going unbeaten in six friendlies and have kicked off their Ligue 1 campaign with a win. They are in much better form than their weekend opponents and should come out on top.
Prediction: Ajaccio 1-2 Lens
Ajaccio vs Lens Betting Tips
Tip 1 - Result: Lens.
Tip 2 - Both teams to score: YES (Both teams have found the back of the net in five of Ajaccio's last seven games).
Tip 2 - Ajaccio to concede first: YES (They have conceded the first goal in five of their last seven games).
