The Gym is traveling tonight to play on Angers’ pitch, a mid-table candidate but still a team to be wary of. The Aiglons can rely on the in-form man of the moment, Alassane Pléa.
After seriously struggling at the end of winter, Angers has recovered well with the arrival of spring. In a favorable position in the race to avoid relegation, SCO (14th) still has the possibility of finishing comfortably mid-table this season.
“Angers has lost only one of its last 6 Ligue 1 matches (3 wins, 2 draws) – in Paris (1-2) on March 14th – after losing each of the previous 3 games.” The stat provided by Opta attests to the positive momentum that Stéphane Moulin’s team is currently experiencing. Previously second to last in L1 after the 26th day, they currently stand at 14th place in the rankings. With a 7-point lead over Troyes (18th) and trailing by 5 points behind Guingamp (10th).
Very challenging on the road, SCO experiences more difficulties at home. At the Raymond-Kopa stadium, they have the 18th record (5 wins, 5 draws, and 6 losses). Notably, as the 33rd matchday approaches, Angers has accumulated 36 points (8 wins, 12 draws, and 12 losses). After Montpellier (18 draws), it’s the highest draw total in the division.
This season, Angers boasts one of the most skilled strikers in the top tier: Karl Toko-Ekambi. Crowned African champion with Cameroon in 2017, the forward consistently delivers outstanding performances. In the 2017/2018 championship, he has scored 17 goals and provided 4 assists. He is directly involved in 46% of his team’s goals (17/37), the highest ratio for a player compared to his club’s goals in the elite.
THE ANGERS SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Butelle, Michel
Defenders: Bamba, Manceau, Pavlovic, R. Thomas, Is. Traoré
Midfielders: Coulibaly, Fulgini, Mangani, Oniangue, Reine-Adelaïde, Santamaria, Tait
Forwards: Guillaume, Kanga, Toko Ekambi, Sunu
THE NICE SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Cardinale, Benitez
Defenders: Marlon, Sarr, Souquet, Coly, Burner, Dante, Le Marchand
Midfielders: Seri, Lees-Melou, Tameze, Mendy
Forwards: Plea, Srarfi, Le Bihan, Saint-Maximin, Sacko
THE REFEREE
This Friday, Clément Turpin will officiate the match between the Gym and Angers. The 35-year-old referee will be assisted by Cyril Gringore and Nicolas Danos.
