April 16, (THEWILL) – Auxerre beats Nantes 2-1 in a closely contested Ligue 1 match at the Stade de l’Abbé Deschamps in Auxerre.
The visitors started the game brightly, looking to take control of the midfield and create chances. However, it was the home side who took the lead in the 5th minute through Jubal’s penalty, after Andrei Girotto handled the ball in the area.
Nantes tried to fight back and created a few chances but it was Auxerre, who scored again in the 43rd minute through Nuno da Costa that powered a right-footed shot into the net from the left side of the six-yard box. The visitors’ frustration grew as they failed to find a way back into the game before halftime.
The second half saw a more determined Nantes side, but they struggled to break down Auxerre’s solid defence. Nigeria’s Moses Simon found a way to loft a pass into the danger area where Mostafa Mohamed was waiting to head in from close range, five minutes before the hour mark.
However, it was too late for Nantes and nothing more than a consolation goal for the visitors. The win sees Auxerre leapfrog their opponents into 14th place on the Ligue 1 table, while Nantes are in 15th, two points away from the relegation zone. Auxerre will play Lille on Saturday, while on Sunday, Nantes host Troyes.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
