Only a win will satisfy the home supporters in this Stade Bollaert-Delelis clash with Niort, having a healthy lead on the opposition in the Ligue 2 table.
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.
Lens form and stats
Lens, who have the the best goal difference (+10) at home in Ligue 2, are steadily winning Ligue 2 games and points here at Stade Bollaert-Delelis. 6 wins, 1 draw and 1 defeat is the summary from 8 games. Nine out of nine points from the last three home games for Lens, and the home supporters are ready to scream their lungs out to keep the winning streak alive.
Happy days for Lens in their previous game, a Ligue 2 match away at Ajaccio (placed 3rd) that ended with a 2-1 victory. Heartbreak before that as Lens lost 1-2 at Dieppe's place.
Lens have proved capable of finding the net in their games here at Stade Bollaert-Delelis with 14 goals in 8 league matches. As for guarding their own goal, Lens have only let in 4 goals at home.
Niort form and stats
Niort have only collected 8 points from their away games in the Ligue 2, after 2-2-5 (9 played). A depressing five defeats in a row for Niort in their away games. Unhappy days, as the last time they avoided a loss on the road was versus Valenciennes. Three has not been a lucky number for Niort as they have been defeated three times in a row since the Rodez match.
Niort play their second straight away game, having lost the previous one 2-3 to Chambly (placed 15th). Before that one, a nice away victory 2-0 at Cournon.
The attacking power of Niort when travelling is not overwhelming with 8 goals scored from 9 league matches away. As opposed to that, Niort have seen the ball go into their own net 13 times on the road.
Head 2 Head
Numbers for the last ten meetings between these two teams are: 6 wins for Lens, 4 draws and 0 wins for Niort. Over 2,5 goals: 6 times; under 2,5 goals: 4 games.Top Goalscorers
  I. Sissoko 8 goals |   S. Banza 6 goals |  F. Sotoca 5 goals |
Lens missing players
Niort missing players
| Lens | Niort | ||||||
| Total | Home | vs | Statistics | Stat | vs | Away | Total |
| 18 | 8 | 4 | Played | P | 3 | 9 | 18 |
| 11 | 6 | 3 | Won | W | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| 4 | 1 | 1 | Drew | D | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 3 | 1 | 0 | Lost | L | 2 | 5 | 9 |
| 29 | 14 | 6 | Scored | S | 2 | 8 | 16 |
| 15 | 4 | 1 | Conceded | C | 6 | 13 | 23 |
| 89% | 88% | 75% | Over 0.5 | O 0.5 | 100% | 100% | 94% |
| 78% | 62% | 50% | Over 1.5 | O 1.5 | 67% | 56% | 61% |
| 50% | 50% | 50% | Over 2.5 | O 2.5 | 33% | 33% | 33% |
| 22% | 25% | 0% | Over 3.5 | O 3.5 | 33% | 22% | 17% |
| 6% | 0% | 0% | Over 4.5 | O 4.5 | 33% | 22% | 11% |
| 44% | 25% | 25% | BTTS | BTTS | 67% | 56% | 44% |
| 44% | 75% | 75% | Clean Sheets | C S | 0% | 22% | 22% |
| 22% | 12% | 25% | Failed to Score | F T | 33% | 22% | 39% |
| 4.6 | 4 | 3.2 | Corners For (avg) | C F | 3.7 | 4 | 3.7 |
| 4.2 | 3.9 | 3.8 | Corners Against (avg) | C A | 4.7 | 5.3 | 5.7 |
| 2 | 2.6 | 1.2 | Yellow Cards (avg) | Y C | 1.3 | 2.2 | 1.9 |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | Red Cards | R C | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| 185 | 88 | 45 | Total Shots | T S | 25 | 76 | 152 |
| 81 | 39 | 19 | Shots on Target | S O | 9 | 28 | 59 |
| 36% | 36% | 32% | Goal Efficiency | G E | 22% | 29% | 27% |
- Lens has the fewest conceded goals (4) at home
- Lens has the most points from losing position (14)
- Lens has the most scored goals in the second half (21)
- Lens has the the best goal difference (+10) at home
- Lens have scored at least twice as many goals as they have conceded at home.
- Niort haven’t played a single 0-0 game away.
| 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 | 18 | 12 | 3 | 3 | 30 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 13 | 5 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 7 | 18 | 39 |
| 2 | Lens | 18 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 29 | 15 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 4 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 11 | 14 | 37 |
| 3 | Ajaccio | 18 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 22 | 13 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 6 | 9 | 33 |
| 4 | Troyes | 17 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 19 | 15 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 12 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 32 |
| 5 | Clermont | 18 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 20 | 18 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 9 | 2 | 29 |
| 6 | Le Havre | 18 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 28 | 19 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 6 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 13 | 9 | 28 |
| 7 | Sochaux | 18 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 20 | 14 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 27 |
| 8 | Valenciennes | 18 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 27 |
| 9 | Nancy | 18 | 5 | 11 | 2 | 19 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 10 | 4 | 26 |
| 10 | Guingamp | 17 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 27 | 22 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 10 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 12 | 5 | 24 |
| 11 | Grenoble Foot 38 | 18 | 4 | 11 | 3 | 17 | 16 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 11 | 10 | 1 | 23 |
| 12 | Rodez | 18 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 22 | 24 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 17 | 12 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 12 | -2 | 21 |
| 13 | Caen | 18 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 19 | 23 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 9 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 11 | -4 | 20 |
| 14 | Auxerre | 18 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 21 | 21 | 9 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 0 | 19 |
| 15 | Chambly | 18 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 14 | 24 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 15 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 9 | -10 | 19 |
| 16 | Chateauroux | 18 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 20 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 12 | -9 | 18 |
| 17 | Niort | 18 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 16 | 23 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 13 | -7 | 17 |
| 18 | Le Mans | 18 | 5 | 2 | 11 | 20 | 32 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 14 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 18 | -12 | 17 |
| 19 | Paris | 18 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 10 | 25 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 14 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 11 | -15 | 15 |
| 20 | Orléans | 18 | 1 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 28 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 16 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 12 | -14 | 10 |