Ligue 2 match preview: Valenciennes versus Niort

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Competition: France Ligue 2
Competition: Sat 24.April
Match begins: 18:00 (UTC)
Venue: Stade du Hainaut (24926 seats)

With their 5 point advantage in the league table, Valenciennes fans are hoping to see their team collect maximum points from this game against Niort.

Insights:
  • Valenciennes have the most matches under the total-line (19) in Ligue 2
  • Niort have the most conceded goals (32) away in Ligue 2

It's no vacation for neither Valenciennes nor Niort as both were in action only a few days ago. Expect some tired legs on the pitch and/or possibly some changes to the lineups.

Niort are struggling to avoid relegation.

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Valenciennes form and stats

7 victories, 5 draws and 5 defeats. That’s what Valenciennes have to build on here at Stade du Hainaut in the Ligue 2.

Valenciennes manager O. Guégan and his team return home after a 0-0 draw away versus Amiens SC (placed 11th) in the Ligue 2. Preceding that match was a defeat to Guingamp (0-1).

The Valenciennes fans would probably like to see some more goals scored at their own stadium in the league, the tally being 20 in 17 matches. Valenciennes have conceded 17 in these home matches.

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Niort form and stats

Niort, who have the most conceded goals (32) away in Ligue 2, have only collected 15 points from their away games in the Ligue 2, after 3-6-8 (17 played). The loyal fans travelling with their beloved Niort have enjoyed the stadium food more than the matches as the visitors have gone twelve consecutive matches without winning on the road. The last time three points were secured away was the Sochaux game. Recent form does not give Niort much hope, as the visitors have lost three games in a row. Valenciennes will be a tough nut to crack.

Niort are looking to quickly end their 273 minutes long goal drought in the Ligue 2.

Home advantage was not enough for Niort in their previous game, as they lost their Ligue 2-match, hosting Troyes, 0-1. A 0-3 defeat away at Ajaccio before that.

The visitors have scored 16 goals from 17 away games in the league, an average of less than one per game. It's been trouble in front of goal recently, as only 0 of these goals has been scored in their last three away matches. Defensive performances away have varied in quality as Niort have conceded 32 goals on the road. For more goal statistics, check out the Statistics tab above.

Head 2 Head

Valenciennes and Niort have met before this season: Niort - Valenciennes 0-3. Last ten meetings between the teams: Valenciennes won four, Niort won four and two draws. seven games with over 2,5 goals, three matches with two goals or less.

Top Goalscorers

NiortP. Bâ
P. Bâ
14 goals
ValenciennesB. Guillaume
B. Guillaume
11 goals
ValenciennesJ. Cuffaut
J. Cuffaut
8 goals

Valenciennes missing players

Niort missing players

Total First Half Second Half
Valenciennes Niort
Total Home vs low Statistics Stat vs mid Away Total
34 17 6 Played P 5 17 34
11 7 5 Won W 2 3 9
11 5 0 Drew D 2 6 11
12 5 1 Lost L 1 8 14
39 20 8 Scored S 8 16 32
45 17 2 Conceded C 9 32 52
94% 94% 100% Over 0.5 O 0.5 100% 94% 91%
71% 59% 33% Over 1.5 O 1.5 80% 71% 68%
38% 35% 33% Over 2.5 O 2.5 60% 41% 41%
21% 24% 0% Over 3.5 O 3.5 40% 29% 24%
9% 6% 0% Over 4.5 O 4.5 20% 24% 12%
41% 41% 17% BTTS BTTS 60% 47% 41%
29% 41% 67% Clean Sheets C S 20% 18% 29%
35% 24% 17% Failed to Score F T 20% 41% 38%
 
0 0 0 Corners for (avg) C F 0 0 0
0 0 0 Corners against (avg) C A 0 0 0
2 2 1.8 Yellow cards (avg) Y C 2.8 2.2 2
4 1 0 Red cards R C 2 6 9
 
7.4 8.5 9.3 Shots (avg) S ( 8 7.1 7.7
3.2 3.7 3.7 Shots on Target (avg) S O 3.2 2.4 2.8
34% 32% 36% Goal Efficiency G E 50% 39% 35%
Key stats in Ligue 2 this season:
  • Niort have the most conceded goals (32) away in Ligue 2
  • Niort have the the worst goal difference (-16) away in Ligue 2
  • Valenciennes have the most matches under the total-line (19) in Ligue 2

  Total Home Away  
# Team MP W D L F A MP W D L F A MP W D L F A +/- P
1 Troyes 33 19 8 6 48 31 17 13 3 1 27 14 16 6 5 5 21 17 17 65
2 Toulouse 33 18 8 7 61 34 17 12 3 2 39 16 16 6 5 5 22 18 27 62
3 Clermont 33 17 9 7 52 20 17 11 5 1 32 7 16 6 4 6 20 13 32 60
4 Grenoble Foot 38 33 16 10 7 45 29 16 10 6 0 31 12 17 6 4 7 14 17 16 58
5 Paris 33 15 11 7 46 34 16 9 5 2 25 16 17 6 6 5 21 18 12 56
6 Auxerre 33 14 12 7 58 36 17 9 5 3 35 16 16 5 7 4 23 20 22 54
7 Sochaux 33 11 15 7 41 28 17 5 7 5 21 19 16 6 8 2 20 9 13 48
8 Valenciennes 33 11 10 12 39 45 17 7 5 5 20 17 16 4 5 7 19 28 -6 43
9 Ajaccio 33 11 9 13 31 38 17 8 4 5 18 14 16 3 5 8 13 24 -7 42
10 Nancy 33 10 11 12 46 46 16 5 7 4 23 23 17 5 4 8 23 23 0 41
11 Amiens SC 32 10 10 12 26 31 16 6 7 3 12 8 16 4 3 9 14 23 -5 40
12 Le Havre 33 9 13 11 27 37 16 3 8 5 11 16 17 6 5 6 16 21 -10 40
13 Rodez 33 8 15 10 34 39 17 6 7 4 21 18 16 2 8 6 13 21 -5 39
14 Niort 33 9 11 13 32 51 16 6 5 5 16 19 17 3 6 8 16 32 -19 38
15 Pau 33 9 9 15 33 43 16 7 4 5 19 16 17 2 5 10 14 27 -10 36
16 Caen 33 8 12 13 31 43 16 5 7 4 14 17 17 3 5 9 17 26 -12 36
17 Dunkerque 32 9 8 15 27 38 16 5 6 5 17 14 16 4 2 10 10 24 -11 35
18 Guingamp 33 6 16 11 33 43 16 2 9 5 16 23 17 4 7 6 17 20 -10 34
19 Chambly 33 7 10 16 35 57 17 6 2 9 19 26 16 1 8 7 16 31 -22 31
20 Chateauroux 33 4 9 20 29 51 16 3 3 10 19 28 17 1 6 10 10 23 -22 21

Table
  Total Home Away  
# Team MP W D L F A MP W D L F A MP W D L F A +/- P
1 Troyes 33 19 8 6 48 31 17 13 3 1 27 14 16 6 5 5 21 17 17 65
2 Toulouse 33 18 8 7 61 34 17 12 3 2 39 16 16 6 5 5 22 18 27 62
3 Clermont 33 17 9 7 52 20 17 11 5 1 32 7 16 6 4 6 20 13 32 60
4 Grenoble Foot 38 33 16 10 7 45 29 16 10 6 0 31 12 17 6 4 7 14 17 16 58
5 Paris 33 15 11 7 46 34 16 9 5 2 25 16 17 6 6 5 21 18 12 56
6 Auxerre 33 14 12 7 58 36 17 9 5 3 35 16 16 5 7 4 23 20 22 54
7 Sochaux 33 11 15 7 41 28 17 5 7 5 21 19 16 6 8 2 20 9 13 48
8 Valenciennes 33 11 10 12 39 45 17 7 5 5 20 17 16 4 5 7 19 28 -6 43
9 Ajaccio 33 11 9 13 31 38 17 8 4 5 18 14 16 3 5 8 13 24 -7 42
10 Nancy 33 10 11 12 46 46 16 5 7 4 23 23 17 5 4 8 23 23 0 41
11 Amiens SC 32 10 10 12 26 31 16 6 7 3 12 8 16 4 3 9 14 23 -5 40
12 Le Havre 33 9 13 11 27 37 16 3 8 5 11 16 17 6 5 6 16 21 -10 40
13 Rodez 33 8 15 10 34 39 17 6 7 4 21 18 16 2 8 6 13 21 -5 39
14 Niort 33 9 11 13 32 51 16 6 5 5 16 19 17 3 6 8 16 32 -19 38
15 Pau 33 9 9 15 33 43 16 7 4 5 19 16 17 2 5 10 14 27 -10 36
16 Caen 33 8 12 13 31 43 16 5 7 4 14 17 17 3 5 9 17 26 -12 36
17 Dunkerque 32 9 8 15 27 38 16 5 6 5 17 14 16 4 2 10 10 24 -11 35
18 Guingamp 33 6 16 11 33 43 16 2 9 5 16 23 17 4 7 6 17 20 -10 34
19 Chambly 33 7 10 16 35 57 17 6 2 9 19 26 16 1 8 7 16 31 -22 31
20 Chateauroux 33 4 9 20 29 51 16 3 3 10 19 28 17 1 6 10 10 23 -22 21

More from France - Ligue 2

Read more about Ligue 2

Ligue 2 is the second highest division in French football. Most games are played at Fridays and Mondays, allowing the top league Ligue 1 “ownership” of the weekend days. 20 teams play 380 fixtures in total, creating a league table where the top three teams promote and the bottom three relegate.