Strugglers unlikely to suddenly find potency

Ligue 1
5.30pm Tuesday

Goals, scarce for Nancy all season, have now dried up at Caen as well, so this rearranged Ligue 1 fixture has all the makings of a low-scoring shocker.

Both teams have lost their last three matches and failed to score in any of those matches.

Nancy’s latest setback was a 1-0 loss at Angers, in which they were poor. At the same time Caen were going down 1-0 at home to ten-man Lille in a performance described as abject.

On the strength of these efforts alone neither side is easy to fancy. On the strength of performances over the course of the season, the same lack of enthusiasm applies.

The draw looks an obvious punt, though one or both teams not to score at 5-6 is preferred. Both teams have scored in only nine of Caen’s 25 league matches this season and the goals seem to have dried up for their ten-goal top scorer Ivan Santini.

Both teams have scored in just four of Nancy’s 25 matches and they’ve failed to score in nine of their 13 away games this term. They are also the lowest scorers in Ligue 1 with 18 goals.

Caen actually boast a pretty decent record at the Stade Michel-d’Ornano, with six wins this term. They have, though, lost their last two on home soil.

Coach Patrice Garande is also counting a physical cost of Saturday’s defeat by Lille with midfielders Herve Bazile, Jordan Makengo and Yann Karamoh all picking up injuries which rule them out of tonight’s game. A recall for 37-year-old Steed Malbranque looks highly likely.

Recommendation
One or both teams not to score
2pts 4-5 general

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