Laval – Ajaccio 10.05.2013

This is a must win situation for Laval.

They are just one place above the drop zone and desperately need three points from this match. The whole team was focused on this game even before. The coach Philippe Hinschberger was clear before the last week’s match at Angers:

– If we get anything from the trip to Angers, it’s a bonus, but the game we’re really thinking about is the Gazelec game, he said.

Of course, Laval lost that game. To be even worse, Ghislain Gimbert received red card. Still, I believe the coach Hinschberger will find an adequate replacement for him. Jordan Adeoti and Lhadji Badiane are also unavailable. At this point I will mention Laval solid home form in the last period. They have two wins, one draw and one defeat on the last four matches at Stade Francis Le Basser.

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Gazelec Ajaccio is on the last place and they are already relegated. It will be very hard for the coach Thierry Laurey to motivate his players. Even his position is in question at the moment. He replaced Jean-Michel Cavalli in February and his main target was to avoid relegation. Unfortunately, he was not able to change something dramatically. The bad form in addition with some non-sporting events (three penalty points) made the task too difficult and Gazelec Ajaccio officially relegated to National.

The situation with absentees is not good in front of this match. Two midfielders, Loic Dufau and Noui Laifam, were sent off against Le Mans last weekend and now are suspended. Five more players are struggling with injuries – Lucas Rastello is definitely sidelined, while Harry Novillo, Jean-Francois Riviere, Yannick Gigliarelli and Roderic Filippi are rated as doubtful.

The Corsicans are also in poor form. They have suffered 12 defeats on the last 15 matches in Ligue 2. The players confidence were low even before, not to mention now, when they are mathematically relegated. I believe Laval will take three points from this match.