Saint Etienne vs Le Havre Prediction: No dull moment between these two

Below is a detailed analysis and prediction for the upcoming match between Saint-Etienne and Le Havre on the 24th August 2024, at the Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Etienne, France.

Saint-Etienne have had a mixed preseason, with morale-boosting wins against Villarreal and Montpellier, yet did struggle to keep things tight at the back, especially in the 5-3 loss to Grenoble. Their Ligue 1 opening match was a 1-0 loss to AS Monaco. They score an average of 1.71 goals per game but also concede plenty – there are obvious chinks in the armor at the back end.

Le Havre are coming off a heavy defeat of 4-1 to PSG in their Ligue 1 opener. Their recent form has been terrible, as they have been losing preseason matches, including a 6-0 thrashing by Bochum. Le Havre averaged 1.71 goals per match but, much like Saint-Étienne, they have also leaked many goals with an average of 2.1 goals per game.

The last two meetings between the teams in Ligue 2 were high-scoring—a 6-0 Le Havre win and a 2-2 draw. Historically, however, Saint-Étienne has been the dominant side: out of 10 matches the teams have played against each other, Saint-Étienne won 5 of them, with Le Havre winning 3.

This could be a high-scoring game, considering both teams' attacking potential and defensive frailties. Saint-Étienne's home advantage and historical edge over Le Havre give them a slight upper hand. With Le Havre, though, this becomes a scoring team, especially against teams like Saint-Étienne; therefore, the prediction veers toward a draw or slim win for Saint-Étienne.

• Over 2.5 Goals at 2.16 Odds
• Both Teams to Score at 1.91 Odds
• Saint Etienne Win 2-1 at 9.00 Odds