PLAYER RATINGS | Auxerre 0-0 Lille: 10-man hosts deny podium chasing Les Dogues | OneFootball

Ligue 1 McDonald’s, Matchday 17, 10/01/2025

Lille OSC travelled to the Stade de l’Abbé-Deschamps to face an AJ Auxerre side that have lost only once at home in Ligue 1. Questions were asked but answers were hard to come by in a 0-0 draw coloured by VAR decisions. Les Dogues would be the more disappointed side as they missed an opportunity to leapfrog AS Monaco into third.

The Match

It was a game of very few chances in the first half, Rémy Cabella had one of the best opportunities for the visitors when he grabbed hold of Ismaily’s low cross to the edge of the penalty box. The winger fired towards goal but his effort clattered into his teammate Aïssa Mandi.

Every Lille attack held a threat of collapse. Auxerre pounced on mistakes and within seconds would be down the other end, looking to thread a cross towards Lassine Sinayoko. Delivery was the only issue as Lucas Chevalier was made a bystander.

Despite a lack of goalmouth action, the game threatened to spark alight. And that’s exactly what happened in the second half. Only a few minutes into the restart, Lille were awarded a penalty when the referee judged Jubal to have fouled Hákon Haraldsson. After a lengthy wait, the referee was asked by VAR to review the action and in doing so he overturned his decision.

However, in the next play, Haraldsson’s shirt was pulled by Paul Joly as he tried to take a shot. The referee dismissed Lille’s calls for a penalty but was again asked to go to the screen. And again the referee went against his onfield call. A red card for Joly and a penalty followed.

Jonathan David stepped up to the spot but the Ligue 1 top scorer was denied by Théo De Percin. And there was perhaps a call for a third penalty for Haraldsson as the Icelandic international was taken out in the immediate aftermath by the Auxerre goalkeeper.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, it was Auxerre who looked the better team immediately after. Gaëtan Perrin was in full pomp as he looked to test the Lille defence and threaten Chevalier. As the game ticked to an end, Lille threw everything at the Auxerre goal but could not find a route through as both teams were left to settle with a point.

Lille Player Ratings

Lucas Chevalier – 7

Very little to do in the first half, a happy bystander. However, he was far more active in the second. Ten-man Auxerre looked to challenge Lille on the break and forced some good saves from a goalkeeper who had received rave reviews in the build-up from the Auxerre manager.

Ismaily – 5

Alexsandro – 5

Bafodé Diakité – 6

Aïssa Mandi – 5

Andre Gomes – 5

Benjamin André – 6

Rémy Cabella – 5

Ayyoub Bouaddi – 6

Hákon Arnar Haraldsson – 6

Whistled after every action in the second half. A villain to the hosts after he almost provided Lille with three penalties. He was perhaps the most threatening player on the pitch for Lille in a very disappointing evening.

Jonathan David – 4

A rating that is very much informed by the moment that defined this game. It’s not often that Jonathan David misses a penalty. It was the best opportunity of the night for Lille to find a way past a mean Auxerre defence that provided very little space. However, it was squandered. The shot low and to the left was easily saved by the host’s stand-in goalkeeper.

Selected Auxerre Player Ratings

Théo De Percin – 8

Another 0-0 draw and another heroic goalkeeping performance for Auxerre. This time it would be De Percin rather than Donovan Léon. The goalkeeper had one moment where he looked ill at ease when he passed the ball straight to Rémy Cabella. However, the defining moment will be his penalty save against Ligue 1’s top scorer.

Paul Joly – 3

Gaëtan Perrin – 7

GFFN | Nick Hartland