Preview: Ajaccio vs. Clermont - prediction, team news, lineups

L'ours picked up their first win of the season before the international break, defeating Brest 1-0, while Clermont are winless in two consecutive domestic affairs.

Match preview

After eight seasons of competing primarily against second-tier French sides, Ajaccio are discovering that the top flight is a lot more challenging.

In their previous Ligue 1 campaign (2013-14), Ajaccio failed to win a domestic encounter until Matchday Seven, eventually leading to their relegation, finishing dead last.

That is where Olivier Pantaloni and his team find themselves at the moment, with only four points after eight matches, though they managed to end a lengthy drought in their previous domestic fixture, winning on the road for the first time in Ligue 1 since a 3-2 triumph over Valenciennes in March 2014.

When they were relegated in 2013-14, Ajaccio were unable to build up any momentum, and on Sunday, L'ours have an opportunity to do something that this club have not done in over nine years, capture consecutive Ligue 1 encounters.

Their current three-match losing run in Corsica is the longest stretch without a point for them on home soil in their Ligue 1 history, as this edition of L'ours have been shut out in three of their four domestic fixtures played at Stade Francois Coty.

Sunday will be the first time that Ajaccio will face Clermont in a top-flight affair, with ACA losing only one of their previous eight fixtures against Les Lanciers in Ligue 2.

Despite a blistering start to their previous encounter, going ahead after six minutes of play, Clermont could not maintain that early momentum at home to Troyes, losing 3-1.

Squandering leads has become an all too familiar feeling for Pascal Gastien, who has seen his team suffer six defeats when opening the scoring since entering the top-flight last season, more than any Ligue 1 side over that span.

Clermont have won all three of their previous matches domestically versus newly-promoted Ligue 1 sides, failing to concede in two victories against Troyes last season, while collecting another clean sheet in a win over Toulouse at the beginning of September.

Even though two of their three victories have come inside Stade Gabriel-Montpied, this group appear to be better organized and compact on the road, conceding more goals at home in 2022 (27) than any side in Ligue 1.

They may be a little better defensively away from home this season, but Clermont have had a hard time finding the back of the net and are aiming to avoid their first-ever three-match goalless drought on the road in Ligue 1 this weekend.

So far in 2022-23, Les Lanciers have conceded 13 goals, a total which could be much worse if not for some help from a goalkeeper's best friend, the woodwork, as Clermont have been rescued by the post or crossbar nine times, more than any of the big five European clubs over this campaign.

Ajaccio Ligue 1 form:

L

L

L

L

L

W

Clermont Ligue 1 form:

W

L

L

W

D

L

Team News

Romain Hamouma had the lone tally for Ajaccio in their victory over Brest, his first of the campaign, as he, Thomas Mangani, Mounaim El Idrissy and Cyrille Bayala are the only players who have scored for them domestically this season.

Benjamin Leroy played only nine minutes in their previous encounter before having to be replaced by Ghjuvanni Quilichini, who stepped in to help Ajaccio collect their second clean sheet of the season, while Riad Nouri moved into a three-way tie for first on the team in assists alongside Mangani and Qazim Laci, collecting his first in their previous encounter.

Fernand Mayembo and Kevin Spandanuda missed the last match due to unknown injuries, but they could both be back this weekend.

Johan Gastien notched his first of the season for Clermont in their defeat to Troyes as Muhammed Cham collected his first assist of the campaign on that play to go along with his team-leading three goals.

Jim Allevinah had the winner when Les Lanciers last faced Ajaccio in a Ligue 2 outing in 2020-21, helping them to a 2-0 victory, Komnen Andric leads them with three assists domestically so far this year, while Elbasan Rashani is still searching for his first of the new campaign, after finished second in team scoring over the previous domestic campaign with eight strikes.

Allevinah is recovering from a pulled groin, Mehdi Zeffane could soon be fully healed from his hamstring strain and Baila Diallo is nearing a return after previously suffering an ankle injury.

Ajaccio possible starting lineup:

Quilichini; Diallo, Avinel, Vidal, Alphonse; Cimignani, Marchetti, Coutadeur, Mangani; Hamouma, Touzghar

Clermont possible starting lineup:

Diaw; Wieteska, Seidu, Mendy; Bela, Khaoui, Gastien, Borges; Cham, Rashani; Andric

We say: Ajaccio 1-0 Clermont

While they have only captured one league fixture so far this season, Ajaccio have been unlucky on a couple of occasions in 2022-23, losing four matches by a single goal.

Clermont could be just the break L'ours need to finally win at home, as the visitors have been poor in the final third, while also being a little too complacent on the road throughout the campaign.

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