Red Star vs Ajaccio prediction 26.08.2024.

• Competition: Ligue 2
• Date: Monday, 26th August, 2024
• Kickoff: 19:45 UK / 20:45 CEST
• Venue: Stade Bauer (Paris - Saint-Ouen)

On Monday afternoon, the newly promoted Red Star will look for their first points against Ajaccio in the second Ligue 2 round at Stade Bauer Saint-Ouen.

Red Star managed to secure a return to Ligue 2 last year after a five-year wait. They were close in the season before the last one when they finished 3rd but missed the promotion by two points. Now, in Ligue 2, they opened the season with a 3:0 loss on the road against Amiens. Still, most football pundits believe they prepared well for the season and that they are not among the relegation contenders. However, their coach, Habib Beye, who secured a promotion, left the club, and some football experts believe Red Star lost its X factor with his departure.

After their relegation from Ligue 1 in 2022/23, Ajaccio had an absolutely atrocious season last year. While everyone expected a potential battle for promotion or at least to finish in the league's upper half, they finished 15th with 46 points, escaping promotion only by five points. This season started with a 1:0 win over Rodez at home, but there is a big question of whether they improved the squad over the Summer. At first glance, we doubt they got significantly better.

Red Star vs Ajaccio pick: Under 2.5 goals

Red Star started the season with a 3:0 loss against Amiens. Their offense really looked poor, and they struggled to create good chances. For the entire 90 minutes, they failed to create a clear-cut chance. However, they weren't too great offensively, even against the much worse competition in the Championnat National last year, averaging around 1.6 goals per game. Considering they did not improve the team too much, it is hard to expect they can become a good offensive team overnight.

Ajaccio were one of the best teams in Ligue 2 last year for this type of bet, with 24 games in 38 rounds finishing with fewer than three goals. Only Amiens had more games with fewer than three goals (27). This season, Ajaccio continued with that trend as their first match ended as a 1:0 win. Additionally, they were under 2.5 goals in four of five friendlies.

In the previous h2h game, we saw a goalless draw. Additionally, the last three h2h games ended under 2.5 goals. Considering all the above, an under 2.5 goals bet should be the safest option for this Ligue 2 tie.