Auxerre beats Monaco 2-0 to take lead in French league

Auxerre has 26 points from 13 matches, one clear of Bordeaux and Lyon.

Defending champion Bordeaux lost its first home match this season, going down 1-0 to Valenciennes, while Lyon was held to 1-1 at last-place Grenoble.

Also, it was: Lens 2, Nancy 1 and Rennes 2, Le Mans 1.

In Auxerre, defender Adama Coulibaly outjumped the Monaco defense to head home a free kick from Benoit Pedretti on the stroke of halftime.

Delvin Ndinga sealed the win in the 88th minute, playing a one-two with Daniel Niculae before placing the ball out of goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier's reach.

“We did not expect to lead the league tonight after a rough start to the season when we lost our first three matches,” Auxerre coach Jean Fernandez told Canal Plus television. “There's a bit of luck, otherwise we can't win seven matches in a row, but there's also talent, both individual and collective. We have the potential to finish at least in the top 10.”

Monaco, with 22 points, played without Brazilian midfielder Nene, the league-leading striker with nine goals.

In Bordeaux, midfielder Fahid Ben Khalfallah pulled the ball back for Mamadou Samassa, who beat goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso with a diagonal shot in the eighth minute to raise his season tally to five.

“We knew we had to be wary of counterattacks,” Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc told Europe 1 radio. “We conceded a goal on the first fast break of Valenciennes.

“Teams mostly defend when they come to Stade Chaban-Delmas. Valenciennes opened the scoring and then defended very well.” The result is not a complete surprise as Valenciennes, which trails Bordeaux by just two points, has both the most potent offense in the league and the best record on the road.

Bordeaux missed playmaker Yoann Gourcuff, who injured his groin on Wednesday in France's infamous World Cup qualifier against Ireland. Forward Marouane Chamakh joined the list of injured Bordeaux players as he had a bruised hip and was replaced by David Bellion in the 17th. In Grenoble, Bafetimbi Gomis set up forward Cesar Delgado, who opened the scoring for Lyon in the 65th.

Grenoble was down to 10 men in the 70th after Laurent Courtois was sent off but managed to equalize in the 72nd when substitute Danijel Ljuboja outpaced the Lyon defense to collect a long pass and beat France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. “We played too poorly to deserve more (than a draw),” Lyon manager Claude Puel told Europe 1 radio. “We lost two points that could be important in the title race.”

In Lens, Paul Alo'o Efoulou notched his fourth goal this season to give Nancy the lead. Alo'o Efoulou received a headed pass from midfielder Youssouf Hadji before firing home from close range in the 52nd. Forward Issam Jemaa leveled for Lens in the 81st, converting a rebound after goalkeeper Gennaro Bracigliano had stopped a shot from Toifilou Maoulida.

Three minutes later, Bracigliano could only deflect a cross from Sebastien Roudet into the path of Kevin Monnet-Paquet, who tucked home the winner.

In Rennes, defender Kader Mangane put the host side ahead in the eighth minute, slotting home after goalkeeper Didier Ovono missed the ball from a corner by Sylvain Marveau.

But forward Roland Lamah equalized for Le Mans with a strike from the edge of the box in the 53rd.

Asamoah Gyan beat the offside trap in the 80th to slip the ball past Ovono and give Rennes the victory. The forward consolidated his spot as the second most prolific striker in the league with seven goals.

Le Mans lost its fourth straight match to remain in the relegation zone with eight points.

On Sunday, Nice hosts Toulouse, Saint-Etienne faces Lorient and Lille visits Montpellier.

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