Ireneusz Jelen scored twice in the second half Wednesday to give
Auxerre a 2-1 away win over French league leader Bordeaux.
Defending champion Bordeaux, which has one game in hand,
still tops the standings on goal difference. Bordeaux and
Montpellier have 52 points each, just one more than Auxerre which
moved up to third place.
Following a 1-1 draw at home against Montpellier last
weekend, Laurent Blanc's team was looking to bounce back and move
three points clear at the top of the league but instead conceded
its second loss at home this season.
Going through a poor run of results, Bordeaux has managed
just one win in its last five league matches.
Benoit Tremoulinas' lucky goal in the first half had given
the home side a 1-0 lead but Laurent Blanc's side was overwhelmed
after the interval, in a game that was rescheduled from the 25th
round.
Having recovered from a hamstring injury that kept him out
for a month, Bordeaux captain Alou Diarra started the game, while
Jaroslav Plasil and Geraldo Wendel were replaced by Gregory Sertic
and Jussie in Laurent Blanc's starting lineup. Diarra asked to be
replaced at halftime because of pains in his left thigh.
Bordeaux started strongly and quickly opened the scoring when
Tremoulinas' cross from the left was deflected by Pedretti, who
lobbed his own goalkeeper Olivier Sorin in the seventh minute.
The Auxerre players looked demoralized and struggled to
recover, failing to keep possession for long periods.
France playmaker Yoann Gourcuff served up Gregory Sertic with
a beautiful pass in the 16th minute but Sorin palmed the
midfielder's powerful strike onto the bar.
Auxerre improved in the second half and Jelen leveled in the
63rd with a clinical left-foot strike after being set up by Daniel
Niculae.
The Poland striker struck his ninth goal of the season six
minutes before the end, sending the ball onto the bar before
scoring from the rebound.
