Auxerre stun Lyon to boost survival hopes | OneFootball

AJ Auxerre gave their hopes of avoiding relegation a huge boost on Friday with a 2-1 win over an Olympique Lyonnais side missing injured top scorer Alexandre Lacazette.

AJ Auxerre 2-1 Olympique Lyonnais

THE MATCH

Lacazette was absent for the visitors at the Stade de l’Abbé-Deschamps after coming off at half-time in last weekend’s 1-0 win over RC Lens. Lyon were also missing coach Laurent Blanc as he recovers from illness, so his assistant Franck Passi was in charge on the touchline while Moussa Dembélé led their attack. And Dembélé put OL ahead nine minutes before half-time as his header from Corentin Tolisso’s right-wing cross found the net despite home goalkeeper Ionut Radu getting a touch to the ball (36’).

Auxerre have been in such dire straits recently that a second-half turnaround seemed unlikely but they drew level six minutes after the restart. The hosts won a penalty when on-loan Bristol City youngster Han-Noah Massengo was brought down in the area by Sinaly Diomandé. Up stepped Gaëtan Perrin, who was born in Lyon and began his career at his hometown club, to score the spot-kick, although goalkeeper Anthony Lopes got a big touch on the ball.

The second goal followed soon after, as a corner from the right was nodded on at the near post by Nuno da Costa and Brazilian defender Jubal applied the finish (53’). Auxerre then held on to end a run of 10 Ligue 1 Uber Eats games without a win and claim their first victory in the league since the end of October. They are now just a point from safety again ahead of the rest of the weekend’s games, while Lyon’s hopes of salvaging European qualification from a poor season are hit as their six-match unbeaten run in all competitions is ended.

THE PLAYER: Jubal

The 29-year-old defender was at fault for Moussa Dembélé’s goal that put Lyon in front but more than made up for that as he scored Auxerre’s winner, his third goal of the season in all competitions.

THE STAT: 11

This was Auxerre’s first win in 11 Ligue 1 Uber Eats outings.

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