The French Ligue 1 continues this weekend with 12th round matches, and a great game is set for Saturday, November 4th, 2017, when Angers welcomes the leader Paris SG at Stade Raymond Kopa. We’ll see if Angers is capable to do some damage to one of the best teams in the world, or it will be just another relaxed day at the office for The Parisians.
In this match preview we’ll take a closer look at both teams, so don’t waste your time and check out our betting picks and predictions for this clash.
ANGERS vs. PARIS SG
3-Way: 1: Angers +1600; X: +700 Draw; 2: Paris SG -370 at BetDSI Sportsbook
Spread +2: Angers -101; Paris SG +102
Total +3.5: Over +106; Under -111
ANGERS
After another thrilling draw with Strasbourg on the road, 2:2, in the 11th round of the French Ligue 1, their seventh of the season, Angers is sitting at the 12th place of the table with 13 points, a 16:14 goal difference and a form of DLWDD. They’ve already upset the odds in the seventh and eighth round of the French Ligue 1 when they’ve managed to grab a point from Nice on the road, 2:2, and Lyon at home, 3:3, showing they are capable of causing problems to the best teams in the league.
Angers was close to getting all three points at Stade de la Meinau, but players couldn’t stay focused after the leading goal for two minutes, allowing Strasbourg to even the game. They were down after the first half, as Strasbourg got the first goal from the penalty kick in the 28th minute. Anger took just one shot on the goal in the first 45 minutes, and it was off target. In the second half, they needed just two shots on target to turn around the game. In the 68th minute, the 25-year old winger Karl Toko Ekambi scored his fifth goal of the season after a magnificent one-two with Thomas Mangani. Seven minutes later Ekambi was a playmaker, and the 26-year old forward Gilles Sunu bagged his first goal of the season in ninth appearance. However, their lead lasted for just two minutes, as Strasbourg leveled the match when Martin Terrier placed a perfect shot into the keeper’s bottom right corner.
The manager Stephane Moulin is certainly satisfied with the result in the last game, but he cannot be happy with team’s effort in the first half, and particularly after the leading goal in the second half when everyone thought Strasbourg is in a knockdown. His boys created only three scoring opportunities for 90 minutes, still managing to score twice from those three chances, and yet they allowed Terrier to receive the ball and take a shot from a decent position just after they took the lead. Certainly, it was another stressful moment for Stephane Moulin this season.
Angers’ players have created 104 scoring chances in the first 11 rounds of the French Ligue 1, scoring 16 goals, twelve of them after assists. Karl Toko Ekambi is a team’s leading scorer with five goals in ten appearances, and he also added three dishes to his name. The 30-year old midfielder Thomas Mangani also has three assists on his account, along with two goals and 18 key passes. The 21-year old central midfielder Angelo Fulgini, who arrived from Valenciennes this summer, showed some nice displays, bagging two goals and making two dishes in 11 apps this season.
There are no injury worries among the Angers’ squad, and all players are ready to go, so Stephane Moulin can pick up his best eleven to start the match against Paris SG.
PARIS SG
The Parisians continued with torturing their opponents in the French Ligue 1 last weekend when they’ve easily beaten Nice, 3:0, in front of the home fans. It could have been a lot worse for Nice whit a couple of goals more in their net, but the Argentinian goalkeeper Walter Benitez made some brilliant stops to save his team from a heavy defeat. Angel Di Maria and Kylian Mbappe both have some great opportunities to get a goal, but it was Edinson Cavani who found the net twice at Parc des Princes. His first goal came just three minutes after the start, and from that point, it was a one-way road.
Paris SG’s players created 13 scoring chances against Nice, they took 16 shots on goal, half of them on target. Cavani and Mbappe both recorded three shots on goal, while Angel Di Maria had one more. On the other side, they allowed Nice to create only five scoring opportunities and to take nine shots on goal. The only scorer among Nice’s squad was the centre-back Dante, but he put the ball into his own net to triple the home side’s lead.
After the first 11 rounds of the French Ligue 1, The Parisians are at the top of the table with 29 points, a 34:8 goal difference, and a form of WDWWD. Edinson Cavani is leading the team with 11 goals in ten appearances, while the Brazilian star Neymar bagged seven goals in eight apps, along with six dishes. Kylian Mbappe added two goals and two assists to his name in seven appearances, and the 26-year old right-back Thomas Meunier is another key player with three goals and two dishes so far. The 22-year old midfielder Adrien Rabiot played in all 11 Ligue 1 games, adding one goal and two assists to his name.
Meanwhile, Paris SG is marching on in the UEFA Champions League, as they hammered Belgian side Anderlecht at home, 5:0, in the fourth round of the group stage on last Tuesday. The 25-year old left-back Layvin Kurzawa put on a show with a hat-trick in the second half, while Marco Verratti and Neymar added a goal each in the first 45 minutes. The Parisians are topping the table of the Group B after the first four rounds with 12 points and a magnificent 17:0 goal difference.
The manager Unai Emery can count on all players for the next game, besides the 35-year old midfielder Thiago Motta who’s still doubtful due to a minor wound. We expect to see Neymar in the starting eleven after the Brazilian missed the clash against Nice due to a red card suspension.
ANGERS vs. PARIS SG – Match Prediction
The Parisians are huge favorites and if Angers get something from this game it will be a huge upset. I expect to see a great battle, but if Paris SG gets an early lead, it could be another nightmare for their opponents. I think they will win by at least two-goals margin.
MY PICK: Paris SG AH -2 (+102)
