Preview: Frejus St-Raphael Hosts Rousset-Ste Victoire in National 2 Clash

FREJUS, France (Interstat) — Frejus St-Raphael will look to solidify its recent dominance over visiting Rousset-Ste Victoire when the regional rivals meet Saturday in a French National 2 football match.

The matchup at Stade Pourcin comes with Frejus St-Raphael holding a clear psychological edge, having won the most recent head-to-head meeting 3-1 on Feb. 21. The earlier fixture this season ended in a 2-2 draw on Sept. 13.

Both sides, however, enter this contest seeking to rebound from heavy defeats last weekend. Frejus St-Raphael (8-9-8) was routed 4-0 by Cannes, halting a modest three-match unbeaten run in the league. The team’s form at home has been mixed, with two wins, two draws and one loss in its last five at Stade Pourcin.

Rousset-Ste Victoire (5-7-13) is in a more severe crisis, conceding 12 goals in its last two outings. After a 7-0 thrashing at FC 93 Bobigny-Bagnolet-Gagny on March 14, it fell 5-2 at home to Grasse on March 21. The visitors have lost five consecutive matches and have not kept a clean sheet since early February, a glaring vulnerability for a team hovering near the bottom of the table.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 3-1 victory for Frejus St-Raphael, a scoreline identical to last month’s result between the clubs.

The schedule does not ease for Rousset-Ste Victoire after this trip, with a home match against Nimes looming next. Frejus St-Raphael will visit Istres in its next fixture on April 3.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. local time (1800 GMT) on Saturday.