Prewievs



FRANCE ROUND 15

By Peter Law.
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NANCY V MONACO. 12 V 3.                 3.20    2.85    1.95

An interesting game for Monaco who had to settle for a 1-1
home draw with Marseille last weekend. Nancy are solid home
performers whose only loss came v Montpellier but Monaco have
the quality to obtain the points here.

LAST SEASON: N 1-2, M 3-0.

CURRENT FORM: N wdldd   M dwwlw
N HOME P6 3-2-1 Goals 12-6.  M AWAY. P6 3-0-3 Goals 12-8.

LGE RECD:
N P14 4-4-6 Gls 21-20 Pts 16/42.
M P13 7-3-3 Gls 28-13 Pts 24/39.

TOPSCORERS: N Cascarino 6.  M Trezeguet 10 (Joint topscorer)
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SEDAN V STRASBOURG. 7 V 14.             1.80    2.90    3.60
 

Promoted Sedan doing well this season with solid home form
against a visiting side who struggle on the road. Both clubs
have problem defences, Sedan's having conceded more than any
other D1 rival. Sedan home win.

LAST SEASON: Sedan in D2.

CURRENT FORM: SE dwlll   ST llwll
S HOME  P6 5-0-1 Goals 12-6.  ST AWAY. PP6 0-2-4 Goals 2-12.

LGE RECD:
SE P14 6-2-6 Gls 21-24 Pts 20/42.
ST P14 4-4-6 Gls 14-23 Pts 16/42.
 

TOPSCORERS: SE Deblock, Mionnet, N'diefi 5. ST Echouafni 4.
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LE HAVRE V BORDEAUX. 17 V 5.            2.85    2.80    2.20

A tired Bordeaux visit a Le Havre side whose 3 wins this
season have all come at home. Bordeaux have a good run going
and took all 6 points last season. Only Rennes have won here
this season, but the champions are capable of an away win here
after making the next stage of the Champions League.

LAST SEASON: LH2-3, B 3-0.

CURRENT FORM: LH lwlll  B ddwww
LH HOME P6 3-2-1 Goals 8-5. B AWAY. P6 1-3-2 Goals 9-10.

LGE RECD:
LH P14 3-4-7 Gls 14-24 Pts 13/42.
B P14 6-5-3 Gls 24-19 Pts 23/42.

TOPSCORERS: LH Deniaud, Pouget 3 each.  B Laslandes 9.
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ST ETIENNE V LYON. 10 V 1.              2.50    2.80    2.50

Two sides with Brazilian topscorers clash in an interesting
game. Lyon lead the division by a point after disposing of
HJK Helsinki & Celtic in the UEFA Cup and are chasing  a first
league title. Only Nantes won here this season but Lyon are
solid performers away, despite losses at Monaco & Sedan.
Saint Etienne score more away than at home and I fancy Lyon
for another three points.

LAST SEASON: SE in D2.

CURRENT FORM: SE lwlww   OL wlwww
SE HOME P6 3-2-1 Goals 9-7. OL AWAY. P6 4-0-2 Goals 7-5.

LGE RECD:
SE P14 5-4-5 Gls 21-23 Pts 19/42.
OL P14 8-3-3 Gls 18-10 Pts 27/42.

TOPSCORERS: SE Alex 8.  OL Anderson 10 (Joint topscorer)
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LENS V PSG. 13 V 4.                     2.50    2.80    2.50

Since changing trainer Lens have put together a four match
unbeaten run, while PSG remain just three points behind the
leaders have have struggled for consistency recently. PSG have
won away at Nantes and Rennes while Lens lost at home to
promoted sides St Etienne & Sedan. Lens have scored the fewest
goals in D1 this term, but last season recorded a league double
over the capital city club. A draw.

LAST SEASON: L 2-1, PSG 0-1.

CURRENT FORM: L ddwwl   PSG wlwdl
L HOME P6 2-2-2 Goals 3-6.  PSG AWAY. P6 2-2-2 Goals 10-7.

LGE RECD:
L P14 4-4-6 Gls 9-15 Pts 16/42.
PSG P14 7-3-4 Gls 21-17 Pts 24/42.

TOPSCORERS: L Nouma 2. PSG Madar 7.
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BASTIA V METZ. 11 V 8.                  1.90    2.85    3.40
 

Corsican side Bastia are always solid home performers, while
visitors Metz  have a 50% draw record this season. Bastia also
draw frequently and defend an unbeaten home record where they
give little away. Metz' sole away win came at Sedan. Metz have
improved recently but take on a difficult assignment against a
Bastia side who are one of three in D1 to have maintained an
unbeaten home record. Bastia home win.

LAST SEASON: B 3-0, M 4-0.

CURRENT FORM: B dwdlw   M dlwwd
B HOME P6 4-2-0 Goals 14-3.  M AWAY. P6 1-3-2 Goals 6-7.

LGE RECD:
B P14 4-6-4 Gls 20-18 Pts 18/42.
M P14 4-7-3 Gls 16-11 Pts 19/42.

TOPSCORERS: B Nee, Prince 4 each. M Padovano 3.
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MONTPELLIER V RENNES. 18 V 9.           2.20    2.80    2.75

Montpellier have not managed to win a league match since mid
September and have got 7 games without a league success, a run
that has now sent them bottom. By contrast Rennes are climbing
up the table after a steady recent run but have been held to
draws in their last two games. Montpellier went out of the
UEFA Cup in Rd 2 against Deportivo la Coruna last week. After
just one home win all season, this is an important game for the
home side to win. Rennes only away victory was achieved against
Le Havre. This one could well finish as a draw.

LAST SEASON: M 3-1, R 3-2.
CURRENT FORM: M lldll   R ddwww

M HOME P6 1-3-2 Goals 9-9.  R AWAY.P7 1-3-3 Goals 5-11.

LGE RECD:
M P14 3-3-8 Gls 16-23 Pts 12/42.
R P14 5-4-5 Gls 20-19 Pts 19/42.

TOPSCORERS: M Loko 4.    R Nonda 7.
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MARSEILLE V NANTES. 6 V 15.             1.30    3.75    7.00

Two of France's European campaigners clash after Nantes upset
Auxerre at the weekend to end their recent barren spell in the
league, while Marseille earned an away draw at Monaco.
Marseille are one of 6 sides to have lost 3 games, sharing the
fewest defeats of any D1 side. Nantes have seen off Ionikos and
Inter Bratislava to reach the 3rd round of the UEFA Cup while
Marseille have made the last sixteen of the Champions League.
Nantes only away win came at St Etienne, while only Lyon have
won here at Stade Velodrome. Nantes may have turned the corner,
 but expect a hard fought home win, with a draw the best Nantes
can home for.

LAST SEASON: M 2-0, N 0-1.

CURRENT FORM: M dwllw  N wllll
M HOME P7 3-3-1 Goals 13-7.  N AWAY. PP6 1-0-5 Goals 6-10.

LGE RECD:
M P14 5-6-3 Gls 20-14 Pts 21/42.
N P14 5-0-9 Gls 16-20 Pts 15/42.

TOPSCORERS: M Ravanelli 6.   N Sibierski 5.
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AUXERRE V TROYES. 2 V 16.               1.15    5.00    9.50

Auxerre's loss at Nantes last weekend was a shock, while
Troyes got 3 useful points from a 2-1 home win against
Montpellier. Both sides at opposite ends of the table with
Auxerre 100% at home, with Troyes having a 100% losing away
record. With eleven points seperating the two sides, Auxerre
to bounce back with a home win.

LAST SEASON: Troyes in D2.

CURRENT FORM: A lwwww   T wlllw
A HOME P7 7-0-0. Goals 17-8.    T AWAY.P7 0-0-7 Goals 1-17.

LGE RECD:
A P13 8-2-3 Gls 22-17 Pts 26/39.
T P14 5-0-9 Gls 12-23 Pts 15/42.

TOPSCORERS: A Guivarc'h 9.  T Ghazi 4.

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