Auxerre is the big loser of the evening. Beaten by Lens at home (3-1), AJA was relegated to Ligue 2 at the end of the last day of Ligue 1, Saturday, June 3. The Auxerrois had their destiny in hand before this meeting, but they were overtaken by Nantes, winner at the same time of Angers (1-0). A year after its return to the elite, the Burgundy club will find the L2.
Lens, whose place in the Champions League was already assured at kick-off, played the game until the end. Enthusiastic, the Artésiens quickly opened the scoring by Alexis Claude-Maurice (19th) and created many chances, against an amorphous Auxerre team, probably paralyzed by the stakes.
The Burgundian club even scuttled, with a second goal scored on the return from the locker room by the same Claude-Maurice, on a big blunder by goalkeeper Ionut Radu (46th). The reduction of the score of M'Baye Niang (71st), taking advantage of an offering from the Lensois goalkeeper Jean-Louis Leca, only maintained a hope quickly showered by the goal of Loïs Openda (78th), after a new error of the Auxerre goalkeeper.
No wins in the last 7 games
The spring upturn, with only one defeat between February and April, was not enough to maintain Auxerre, who changed coach in the autumn with the appointment of Christophe Pélissier, in place of Jean-Marc Furlan. AJA missed their final sprint, not winning any of their last 7 games.
Promoted at the beginning of the season after 10 years of absence in Ligue 1, the club icaunais did not survive this season to four relegations. Nantes, in free fall at the end of the season, won the match it needed and can breathe.
Short winner of Angers thanks to a goal of Ganago in the 16th minute, thanks to a magnificent number of Ludovic Blas, Nantes will have trembled all evening before an indescribable deliverance. Seized by the fear of losing, the Canaries offered nothing and curled up throughout the game (65% possession for Angers). But the finalists of the Coupe de France managed to preserve the essentials, leaving the public of the beaujoire invade the lawn to express their happiness. Nantes let Auxerre, Ajaccio and Troyes join Ligue 2.
