Le Mans vs. Auxerre

Joao Paulo own goal six minutes after the break gave the visitors their sixth straight win and keep the hosts in the bottom three, but Auxerre were holding on desperately at the end.

After a somewhat tentative start to the game, Auxerre broke into their stride after quarter of an hour, impressed for a brief spell but would then return to their rather mundane game soon afterwards. Ireneusz Jelen was the first to threaten for the guests, but Cedric Hengbart had the ball in the net after 19 minutes only to see the assistant referee’s flag raised.

Benoit Pedretti then picked out Aurelien Capoue with a corner, but the midfielder sent his shot from 12 yards just over the top.

Auxerre missed a glaring chance in the 41st minute when Daniel Niculae got free down the left and crossed for Jelen, who inexplicably missed the target with a side-foot volley from in front of goal.

Immediately after the break there was far more life about the game, with MUC hitting the post through Thorstein Helstad, who tried to turn a Sebastien Corchia free kick into the net.

Home defender Joao Paulo found the net only moments later, but sadly for the former Porto man it was his own goal. It was a frustrating goal to lose, Didier Ovono having blocked Ireneusz Jelen’s shot against the defender, who could do nothing to prevent it rolling into the goal.

Sorin then denied Helstad after he had got on the end of Rolland Lamah's cross, while at the other end Ovono produced a superb reflex save to keep out Kamel Chafni's attempt from the edge of the area.

With 12 minutes remaining a fine shot from Anthony Le Tallec rebounded off the upright with Olivier Sorin beaten.

More drama unraveled in the last ten minutes, when Ludovic Baal had hit the post from a Corchia centre. Moments later Jean-Pascal Mignot was adjudged to have handled in the box, but Sorin made the save to win three points for his side.