Chateauroux and Le Havre will seek to make it through to the last 16 of Coupe de France at the expense of each other when they face off at Stade Gaston Petit on Sunday.

The home side battled past Les Herbiers in the last round, while their visitors just about edged out Caen to set up this weekend's encounter.

Match preview

Le Havre came away victorious from a thrilling clash against lower league side Caen at Stade Oceane on January 7, which ended in a 2-1 triumph.

Luka Elsner's men broke the deadlock through Antoine Joujou but were pegged back by Godson Kyeremeh before Daler Kuzyaev grabbed the winner two minutes shy of half time.

This preceded a 3-1 victory against Olympique Lyon on Sunday, which saw Le Club Doyen move up to 11th in the Ligue 1 table, outside the top half only on goal difference.

Lying in store next is the challenge of an opposing outfit with little to choose between the teams over the last seven meetings which have yielded three wins apiece and one draw.

Currently with just one win in 13 matches away from home leading up to Sunday's game, the visitors have work to do at both ends of the pitch to avoid another fruitless outing on the road.

Chateauroux needed penalties to see off the threat of Les Herbiers after a highly-entertaining 2-2 draw at Stade Massabielle on January 6.

Olivier Saragaglia's men trailed to Antoine Mille's opener but managed to turn the game on its head thanks to a Jeremy Billy double, only for Vincent Pires to restore parity late on and send the tie to a shootout where Geoffray Durbant held his nerve to convert the decisive spot-kick.

La Berrichonne were on the receiving end of a narrow 1-0 defeat to Nancy in their subsequent league outing and remain 16th in the French National League.

Looking for what would be only a second home win in eight matches, Sunday's hosts have endured a torrid time in front of their fans of late and will need to turn their fortunes around.

Team News

Le Havre trio Andre Ayew, Mohamed Bayo and Abdoulaye Toure are all on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations and will not feature here.

Yoann Salmier and Andy Logbo miss out for the away side through injury, while Rassoul Ndiaye continues to serve a suspension for his sending-off against Reims.

Chateauroux's Omare Gassama and Hillel Konate are both away at the ongoing AFCON with Mauritania and Burkina Faso respectively, ruling them out of contention this weekend.

Twenty-two-year-old Fredler Christophe is still far off a return to action having not made an appearance for the home side since November due to injury.

Chateauroux possible starting lineup:
Cognard; Mbengue, Pires, Matondo; Duterte, Sylva, Njike, Mendy; Nomel, Mille, Durbant

Le Havre possible starting lineup:
Kone; Operi, Lloris, Sangante, El Hajjam; Kechta, Targhalline, Kuzyaev; Joujou, Alioui, Casimir

We say: Chateauroux 1-2 Le Havre

Both Chateauroux and Le Havre have been in free-scoring mode of late, and it is hard to see either of them coming away with a clean sheet. That said, we are backing the away side to get the job done at the end of the 90 minutes.


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