Le Havre AC will be without four defenders for their trip to Lille this Saturday (17:15). Didier Digard must deal with the absences of Timothée Pembélé, Lionel Mpasi, Félix Mambimbi and Stephan Zagadou for the sixth matchday of Ligue 1.
The club, currently 18th in the league with just two points, is searching for a first win of the season. The match at the Decathlon Arena, Stade Pierre-Mauroy promises to be tough against a LOSC side sitting in 4th place. The last meeting between the two teams, in November last year, ended in a 1-0 defeat for Le Havre.
Returns and absences
Two positive returns, however, ease the injury concerns. Junior Mwanga and Rassoul Ndiaye are fully fit after adductor problems. Their availability is welcome news for a depleted squad.
On the other hand, the absences are numerous and significant. Timothée Pembélé is struggling with adductor and knee issues. Lionel Mpasi and Félix Mambimbi are sidelined with long-term injuries. The most concerning case is Stephan Zagadou, still recovering from an ACL rupture sustained in April. His return is not imminent.
There is also a doubt over Elias Jelert, who has a thigh injury. His participation will be a last-minute decision.
Digard's update
Manager Didier Digard was pleased with the safe return of his international players. "They came back in good health," he said. This stability is key as the team seeks a first league win, having drawn 0-0 with Angers in their last outing.
On the Lille side, attacker Ethan Mbappé will also miss out due to an injury picked up with the France U21s. Le Havre's upcoming schedule can be found on our fixtures page, which includes a home game against Monaco after the break. To face Lille, Digard will need to find solutions within a weakened squad, hoping to rely on the form of top scorer Mbwana Ally Samatta, who has two goals this season. The match kicks off at 17:15 on Saturday.
This story first appeared at lepetitlillois.com
