Le Havre vs Lens Predictions

Le Havre vs Lens predictions for Sunday’s Ligue 1 clash. Le Havre face Lens at Stade Océane on Sunday, with both sides seeking to recover from opening-day Ligue 1 defeats. Read on for all our free predictions and betting tips in addition to the best betting offers.

Ligue 1  | Aug 24 2025 at 4:15 pm UK at Stade Océane

Le Havre vs Lens Predictions

Can Lens Bounce Back and Punish Le Havre’s Leaky Defence?

• Le Havre’s home struggles: The Dean Club have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 12 home league games, conceding in 21 of their last 22 at Stade Oceane.
• Lens’s efficiency: Despite losing to Lyon, Lens recorded more shots on target and looked defensively solid, suggesting their performance was stronger than the result implied.
• Head-to-head balance: Since Le Havre returned to Ligue 1, these sides have split their four meetings evenly, but Lens carry the stronger momentum and squad depth into Sunday’s clash.

Best Bet for Le Havre vs Lens

Le Havre welcome Lens to the Stade Oceane on Sunday in a meeting that already feels significant despite being just the second round of the Ligue 1 season. Both sides come into this clash having lost their openers, and while that’s hardly the end of the world, nobody wants to be sitting on zero points after two games. Le Havre are still carrying scars from last season’s late escape act and will be desperate to avoid getting sucked into a relegation fight once again. Lens, meanwhile, are aiming much higher, but their opening-day loss to Lyon showed there is work to be done under new boss Pierre Sage.

For the hosts, it’s been a case of déjà vu – another campaign starting with a defeat and more questions than answers. Monaco comfortably brushed them aside last weekend, exposing the same defensive fragility that nearly cost them their top-flight status in May. Didier Digard knows he cannot afford a repeat of last year’s scrap for survival, yet the signs haven’t been especially reassuring. Lens, though beaten by Lyon, looked a different breed altogether: sharper, more organised, and unlucky not to take something from the game. And with Thauvin waiting to add some stardust, the visitors will fancy their chances of making amends here.

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Best Bet for this Match

The best bet for this game is Lens to win. Among all the possible selections, this stands out as the ultimate prediction for this clash. At BettingTips4You, we don’t drown readers in a sea of picks; we believe in quality over quantity. By providing one clear and confident selection, we ensure readers know exactly what to back, and it also keeps us accountable. If our best bet lands, our credibility grows; if it doesn’t, there’s no hiding behind “alternatives.” That’s why we’ve gone with Lens to get the job done in Normandy.

Rationale (why Lens to win is the Best Bet)
Le Havre’s recent home record is enough to make their supporters sweat before a ball is even kicked. They’ve gone 12 games without a clean sheet at Stade Oceane, conceding in 21 of their last 22 fixtures there. Put simply, their backline leaks like a rusty old bucket. Monaco ruthlessly exploited that weakness last weekend, scoring three and looking like they could have had more. Lens, with the pace and energy of Fofana and Guilavogui in attack, plus the creativity Thauvin is expected to bring, should find plenty of gaps to punish.

On the other side, while Le Havre did notch a consolation against Monaco, their attack remains blunt and predictable. They struggle to create clear-cut chances, and with Lens’s back three reinforced by Sarr and Udol, the visitors have the defensive nous to keep them contained.

Lens also showed far more structure in their 1-0 loss to Lyon than the scoreline suggests. They pressed well, created some decent openings, and were undone by a moment of quality rather than consistent pressure. That kind of performance, carried into a game against weaker opposition, should be enough to tilt the balance their way.

As BettingTips4You.com expert Gerard Gabasa put it:

“Lens looked unlucky losers in their opener, while Le Havre’s defensive frailty continues to be a glaring issue. Backing the visitors to edge this looks the sensible move.

The likely outcome? Lens to leave Normandy with all three points. Not without effort, but enough quality in the final third to make the difference.

Predicted Scoreline: Le Havre 0-2 Lens. The hosts have been fragile at the back for too long, and Lens, with fresher ideas under Sage, should have enough cutting edge to secure a straightforward away win.

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