in numerical superiority, Lille stumbles on Auxerre and misses the opportunity to climb onto the podium

Lille was forced to draw this Friday on the pitch at Auxerre (0-0), on the occasion of the 17th day of Ligue 1. Faced with Icaunais reduced to ten from the 55th minute, the Northerners did not managed to make the difference, Jonathan David missing the penalty following the expulsion of Paul Joly.

Failing to have been able to play quickly enough, especially in the first period, the Northerners managed to overwhelm the Burgundians, very well organized and disciplined, only too rarely. They especially missed the opportunity to take the advantage on a penalty taken by Jonathan David, saved by goalkeeper Théo De Percin, replacing the injured Donovan Léon (59), and awarded for a foul by Paul Joly on Hakon Haraldsson.

During the action, Joly, the last defender who had pulled the Icelandic’s jersey, was also excluded by referee Gaël Angoula. A few minutes earlier, the latter had used, for long minutes, video assistance to cancel a penalty that he had initially awarded for a supposed foul by Jubal on Haraldsson, already him, which in reality turned out to be a simulation (52nd).

Auxerre heroic in defense

Overall, Lille can really regret not having won, especially in the last half hour when the Northerners were in numerical superiority. But they lacked impact (70% possession, 5 shots on target out of 13) against a defensively heroic Auxerre team to keep the point from the draw.

In the first period, De Percin deflected a shot from Benjamin André (9th) and effectively repelled an attempt from Haraldsson (64th). The Icaunais goalkeeper also intervened well on a header from Thomas Meunier after a corner (90+4). For its part, AJA was threatening several times from a corner but also from a shot from Joly repelled by Lucas Chevalier (25th) who diverted an attempt from Gaëtan Perrin (71st).

Undefeated since September 13 in Ligue 1, now thirteen matches without defeat, Lille took advantage of Monaco’s draw in Nantes (2-2) at the start of the evening to climb onto the podium. Losc had already lost valuable points on the road last weekend by conceding a draw at home against Nantes (1-1). For Auxerre, currently in a clear loss of momentum, this is a fifth match without a win (2 defeats, 3 draws), AJA remains 9th in the standings.