Auxerre beat 10-man Sochaux 2-0

Auxerre:

AJ Auxerre moved up to provisional third place in the French Ligue 1 after defeating Sochaux 2-0 at home on Saturday. The match between the two UEFA. Cup contenders was a stalemate before Kanga Akale broke the deadlock in the 67th minute. Sochaux were then reduced to 10 men six minutes later when Souleymane Diawara was handed a straight red card for a wild lunge from behind on Luigi Pieroni. The Belgian international striker sealed Auxerre's victory with a glancing header after 84 minutes. Auxerre are on 35 points, seven adrift of leaders Olympique Lyon and two ahead of Monaco who were entertaining Caen. Sochaux remain in ninth on 27 points. (AP)