FC Lorient pulled alongside Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique de Marseille on 19 points with their 3-1 victory over AJ Auxerre on Friday, Dango Ouattara, Terem Moffi and Enzo Le Fée getting their goals.
AJ Auxerre 1-3 FC Lorient
THE MATCH
Lorient bounced into this meeting at the Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps having won each of their previous three games, and they started on the front foot against their recently promoted hosts. Le Fée forced a good save from Benoît Costil with an early free-kick (14') before les Merlus took the lead moments later, Julien Ponceau cutting the ball back for Ouattara who steered him his fourth goal of the season (15'). Lorient then put the game to bed before the half was out. First Moffi headed home a Montassar Talbi's cross at the back post (36') and then Le Fée deservedly got his name on the scoresheet, reacting quickest to a parried Ouattara shot for 3-0 (42').
Lorient express
Lorient thought they had made it 4-0 soon after the restart when Ouattara prodded past Costil from close range, but his effort was ruled out for offside (49'). Instead, Auxerre reduced the arrears when Gauthier Hein followed up on Mathias Autret's saved shot (52'). But the direction of travel was still mostly in the other direction and Moffi could have doubled his tally soon after, but his lifted finish didn't do the skill that had preceded it justice (56'). Lorient might have pulled further clear when Le Fée slipped Stéphane Diarra in for a chance, but Costil saved well (70'). M'Baye Niang forced a save from Yvon Mvogo at the other end (77') before Nuno da Costa and Lassine Sinayoko contrived to miss a gilt-edged chance (90'+2) and it ended 3-1.
THE PLAYER: Dango Ouattara
Ouattara has been an absolute revelation this season and would have had a hand in more than two goals had refereeing decisions not held him up. The Burkinabé attacker has now had nine goal involvements from just seven games in Ligue 1 Uber Eats this season. If he keeps this up, bigger clubs will come calling by the end of the campaign.
THE STAT: 10
This was Lorient's first win at Auxerre in 10 attempts in all competitions. Les Merlus had never won at the Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps and they last time they even came away with a share of the points was in Ligue 2 BKT back in December 2018.
