Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Ligue 1 match.
This is a third-round Ligue 1 fixture. Newly promoted Lorient have climbed into the top six at the start of the season, with LOSC Lille sitting immediately above them. Either side could, in theory, move into first place after this round, although that would require slip-ups from neighbouring teams in the standings.
Lorient
Lorient climbed to those heights thanks to a 4:0 home win over Stade Rennais. Few would have anticipated that scoreline. Even a routine home win looked unlikely; it felt evenly matched, but the visitors undermined their chances themselves. By the 12th minute the visitors were down to nine men. Even underdogs would have taken advantage of that situation. In any case, it is difficult to describe Lorient as outright outsiders on current evidence.
LOSC Lille
Even so, Lorient face a stern test next. AS Monaco, who are in the Champions League, could not contain Lille (1:0). They had to cope with Lille at their own stadium, and the visitors had a decisive presence in Olivier Giroud. In the 91st minute he showed composure in the AS Monaco penalty area. He later missed a penalty, but the top four in Ligue 1 are already two points clear of Lille.
Lorient vs LOSC Lille Prediction
Two seasons ago, in late August, Lorient also hosted LOSC Lille and beat the favourites (4:1). That did not help the hosts retain their top-flight status, nor did it take Lille into the UEFA Champions League qualifiers. Now, barring any mishaps, the visitors should prevail, as they have not been involved in European qualifiers this time. We will keep it conservative with a zero handicap.
