It's early days in the Ligue 1 and both Nîmes and Lens are still hoping for a flying start in order to set the tone for the season. Three points can make a big difference at this stage.
Both teams should be fairly well rested for this game, as they have had some quiet days to prepare. Hopefully this will translate into lots of action on the pitch.
It's quite the trip for Lens when visiting Nîmes as the cities are 900 kilometers apart.
Nîmes form and stats
OK but not perfect. That could be the conclusion for Nîmes's two home games in the Ligue 1 so far this season, having collected 3 points here at Stade des Costières.
Nîmes manager J. Arpinon and his team return home after a 0-0 draw away versus Olympique Lyonnais (placed 12th) in the Ligue 1. Ahead of that match, Nîmes lost 2-4 at home to Rennes.
This is expected to be a close game, with Nîmes perhaps considered small favourites due to their home advantage. Looking back at earlier matches similar to this one (expected to be close with Nîmes as a small favourite), we find twelve games. Nîmes has won five of these, drawn four and lost three.
Early season league goal statistics from Nîmes's 2 home games: 6 goals, 4 conceded.
Lens form and stats
Things could have gone better for Lens in their Ligue 1 away matches, but 3 points from 2 games is all right.
Impressive finishing from Gaël Kakuta and Igniatius Ganago secured the home win 2-1 against Bordeaux in their previous game. Before that one, a nice away victory 3-2 at Lorient.
As mentioned above, this is an open game with no clear favourite. We have found nine similar matches played by Lens in our archives, and the results are: one win for Lens, four draws and four defeats.
Lens have the goal stats of 4-4 (for/against) from 2 business trips in the league at this early stage of the season.
Head 2 Head
Head-2-head stats last ten meetings: four - two - four (Nîmes wins - draws - Lens wins). As for goals, six matches ended with three or more goals (over 2,5), four had two or less.Top Goalscorers
  G. Kakuta 3 goals |  I. Kpene Ganago 3 goals |  Z. Ferhat 2 goals |
Nîmes missing players
Lens missing players
| Nîmes | Lens | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 4 | 2 | 1 | Played | P | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | Won | W | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Drew | D | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | 1 | 1 | Lost | L | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 7 | 6 | 2 | Scored | S | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| 6 | 4 | 4 | Conceded | C | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| 75% | 100% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| 75% | 100% | 100% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 100% | 100% | 75% |
| 75% | 100% | 100% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 100% | 100% | 75% |
| 50% | 100% | 100% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 100% | 50% | 25% |
| 25% | 50% | 100% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 100% | 50% | 25% |
| 50% | 50% | 100% | BTTS | BTTS | 100% | 100% | 75% |
| 50% | 50% | 0% | Clean Sheets | C S | 0% | 0% | 25% |
| 25% | 0% | 0% | Failed to Score | F T | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 3 | 3 | 3.2 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | Red cards | R C | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 57 | 29 | 17 | Total Shots | T S | 12 | 30 | 57 |
| 24 | 14 | 9 | Shots on Target | S O | 6 | 10 | 19 |
| 29% | 43% | 22% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 50% | 40% | 37% |
| Nîmes | Last season | Lens | |||||
| Total | Home | Statistics | Stat | Away | Total | ||
| 28 | 14 | Played | P | 14 | 28 | ||
| 7 | 6 | Won | W | 6 | 15 | ||
| 6 | 2 | Drew | D | 5 | 8 | ||
| 15 | 6 | Lost | L | 3 | 5 | ||
| 29 | 17 | Scored | S | 20 | 39 | ||
| 44 | 15 | Conceded | C | 15 | 24 | ||
| 93% | 100% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 86% | 86% | ||
| 68% | 64% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 86% | 68% | ||
| 54% | 36% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 43% | 39% | ||
| 32% | 21% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 21% | 21% | ||
| 11% | 7% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 14% | 11% | ||
| 46% | 36% | BTTS | BTTS | 57% | 43% | ||
| 25% | 36% | Clean Sheets | C S | 29% | 50% | ||
| 36% | 29% | Failed to Score | F T | 29% | 21% | ||
| 0 | 0 | Corners for (avg) | C F | 0 | 0 | ||
| 0 | 0 | Corners against (avg) | C A | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1.6 | 1.8 | Yellow cards (avg) | Y C | 1.6 | 2 | ||
| 6 | 4 | Red cards | R C | 2 | 4 | ||
| 357 | 206 | Total Shots | T S | 139 | 283 | ||
| 112 | 66 | Shots on Target | S O | 60 | 118 | ||
| 26% | 26% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 33% | 33% | ||
| Total | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Saint-Étienne | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 10 |
| 2 | Rennes | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 10 |
| 3 | Montpellier | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 9 |
| 4 | Lens | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 9 |
| 5 | Lille | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
| 6 | Monaco | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| 7 | Olympique Marseille | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 7 |
| 8 | Paris Saint Germain | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| 9 | Brest | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 6 |
| 10 | Nice | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | -2 | 6 |
| 11 | Angers SCO | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -3 | 6 |
| 12 | Olympique Lyonnais | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 13 | Bordeaux | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| 14 | Nantes | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| 15 | Nîmes | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| 16 | Lorient | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | -2 | 3 |
| 17 | Metz | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 3 |
| 18 | Strasbourg | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | -5 | 3 |
| 19 | Reims | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | -3 | 1 |
| 20 | Dijon | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | -7 | 0 |
| Last season | Total | Home | Away | ||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Paris Saint Germain | 27 | 22 | 2 | 3 | 75 | 24 | 14 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 44 | 11 | 13 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 31 | 13 | 51 | 68 |
| 2 | Olympique Marseille | 28 | 16 | 8 | 4 | 41 | 29 | 14 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 21 | 14 | 14 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 20 | 15 | 12 | 56 |
| 3 | Rennes | 28 | 15 | 5 | 8 | 38 | 24 | 14 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 25 | 14 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 10 | 14 | 50 |
| 4 | Lille | 28 | 15 | 4 | 9 | 35 | 27 | 15 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 24 | 9 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 8 | 49 |
| 5 | Reims | 28 | 10 | 11 | 7 | 26 | 21 | 14 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 12 | 7 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 14 | 5 | 41 |
| 6 | Nice | 28 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 41 | 38 | 15 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 28 | 20 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 18 | 3 | 41 |
| 7 | Olympique Lyonnais | 28 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 42 | 27 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 17 | 7 | 15 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 25 | 20 | 15 | 40 |
| 8 | Montpellier | 28 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 35 | 34 | 14 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 26 | 10 | 14 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 24 | 1 | 40 |
| 9 | Monaco | 28 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 44 | 44 | 14 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 29 | 22 | 14 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 15 | 22 | 0 | 40 |
| 10 | Angers SCO | 28 | 11 | 6 | 11 | 28 | 33 | 15 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 20 | 13 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 8 | 20 | -5 | 39 |
| 11 | Strasbourg | 27 | 11 | 5 | 11 | 32 | 32 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 22 | 14 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 0 | 38 |
| 12 | Bordeaux | 28 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 40 | 34 | 13 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 19 | 12 | 15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 21 | 22 | 6 | 37 |
| 13 | Nantes | 28 | 11 | 4 | 13 | 28 | 31 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 17 | 20 | -3 | 37 |
| 14 | Brest | 28 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 34 | 37 | 14 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 21 | 11 | 14 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 13 | 26 | -3 | 34 |
| 15 | Metz | 28 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 27 | 35 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 18 | 17 | 14 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 18 | -8 | 34 |
| 16 | Dijon | 28 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 27 | 37 | 14 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 20 | 15 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 22 | -10 | 30 |
| 17 | Saint-Étienne | 28 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 29 | 45 | 14 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 15 | 18 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 14 | 27 | -16 | 30 |
| 18 | Nîmes | 28 | 7 | 6 | 15 | 29 | 44 | 14 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 12 | 29 | -15 | 27 |
| 19 | Amiens SC | 28 | 4 | 11 | 13 | 31 | 50 | 14 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 17 | 23 | 14 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 14 | 27 | -19 | 23 |
| 20 | Toulouse | 28 | 3 | 4 | 21 | 22 | 58 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 11 | 24 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 11 | 34 | -36 | 13 |
| Last season | Total | Home | Away | ||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | MP | W | D | L | F | A | +/- | P |
| 1 | Lorient | 28 | 17 | 3 | 8 | 45 | 25 | 14 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 22 | 12 | 14 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 23 | 13 | 20 | 54 |
| 2 | Lens | 28 | 15 | 8 | 5 | 39 | 24 | 14 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 19 | 9 | 14 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 20 | 15 | 15 | 53 |
| 3 | Ajaccio | 28 | 15 | 7 | 6 | 38 | 22 | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 17 | 12 | 14 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 21 | 10 | 16 | 52 |
| 4 | Troyes | 28 | 16 | 3 | 9 | 34 | 25 | 14 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 20 | 17 | 14 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 8 | 9 | 51 |
| 5 | Clermont | 28 | 14 | 8 | 6 | 35 | 25 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 21 | 14 | 14 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 14 | 11 | 10 | 50 |
| 6 | Le Havre | 28 | 11 | 11 | 6 | 38 | 25 | 14 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 18 | 10 | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 20 | 15 | 13 | 44 |
| 7 | Valenciennes | 28 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 24 | 20 | 14 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 14 | 7 | 14 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 13 | 4 | 42 |
| 8 | Guingamp | 28 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 40 | 33 | 14 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 20 | 14 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 20 | 19 | 7 | 39 |
| 9 | Grenoble Foot 38 | 28 | 7 | 14 | 7 | 27 | 29 | 14 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 14 | 16 | -2 | 35 |
| 10 | Chambly | 28 | 9 | 8 | 11 | 26 | 32 | 15 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 12 | 21 | 13 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 11 | -6 | 35 |
| 11 | Auxerre | 28 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 31 | 30 | 14 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 19 | 12 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 18 | 1 | 34 |
| 12 | Nancy | 28 | 6 | 16 | 6 | 27 | 26 | 14 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 16 | 9 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 11 | 17 | 1 | 34 |
| 13 | Caen | 28 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 33 | 34 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 14 | 17 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 19 | 17 | -1 | 34 |
| 14 | Sochaux | 28 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 28 | 30 | 14 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 17 | 11 | 14 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 19 | -2 | 34 |
| 15 | Châteauroux | 28 | 9 | 7 | 12 | 22 | 38 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 23 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 11 | 15 | -16 | 34 |
| 16 | Rodez | 28 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 31 | 34 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 22 | 18 | 14 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 16 | -3 | 32 |
| 17 | Paris | 28 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 22 | 40 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 22 | 15 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 13 | 18 | -18 | 28 |
| 18 | Niort | 28 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 30 | 41 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 14 | 25 | -11 | 26 |
| 19 | Le Mans | 28 | 7 | 5 | 16 | 30 | 45 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 14 | 28 | -15 | 26 |
| 20 | Orleans | 28 | 4 | 7 | 17 | 21 | 43 | 14 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 8 | 23 | 14 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 13 | 20 | -22 | 19 |