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Auxerre secured their third successive League win on Saturday, cruising to a 3-0 success over hapless Sochaux.
Jacques Santini’s team seem to have put the 7-0 defeat by Lens firmly behind them and are now just two points behind Ligue 1 leaders Lyon, who can stretch further ahead of the chasing pack by winning at Nantes on Sunday.
Sochaux, meanwhile, could not build on their midweek victory over Nantes and have now lost three of their last four games.
Dominique Bijotat’s side never looked like taking anything from the Stade de l’Abbé Deschamps against an Auxerre side that was quicker than them in virtually every position.
Any hopes they had all but disappeared on 20 minutes when they gifted the home side an opening goal. Lionel Potillon’s backpass was hopelessly miscued by Sochaux ‘keeper Teddy Richert, leaving Peguy Luyindula with the relatively simple task of stroking the ball into an empty net.
Sochaux tried to hit back immediately but Mourad Meghni’s strike was saved by an alert Fabien Cool. It was a rare moment of danger for Auxerre, who almost doubled their lead when Luyindula’s acrobatic effort skimmed the outside of Richert’s post.
The second goal duly arrived just before half-time. Philippe Violeau’s raking crossfield pass picked out Thomas Kahlenberg on the left side of the box, and after getting the ball under control, the Danish midfielder unleashed a ferocious shot which flew past Richert.
Sochaux looked to stage an unlikely comeback in the second half, committing more men forward. But they left themselves exposed far too often and were indebted to their goalkeeper Richert for keeping them in the game by winning his one-on-one with Luigi Pieroni on 47 minutes.
The game was effectively over five minutes later, however, when Benoît Cheyrou headed home Yann Lachuer’s free kick at the near post to make it 3-0. Kader Touré headed a late chance over the bar for Sochaux, but it would have been little consolation for Bijotat's side, who continue to struggle.
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