OLIECH

Auxerre took a firm grip of the second place and an automatic place in the UEFA champions League with the help of Dennis Oliech’s 35th minute opener in their 4-1 demolition of Lorient in French Ligue 1.

Olympic Marseille remained five points clear after a stoppage time penalty from Nigerian Taye Taiwo earned the 1992 French champions a 2-1 victory at struggling Boulogne.

And with champions Bordeaux drawing 2-2 with Lyon in a match that saw three red cards dished out, Oliech told FeverPitch on the telephone : "We have to keep believing and working hard to ensure we play in the champions league next season."

Jean Fernandez’s men are in red-hot form, racking up seven wins in undefeated 10 outings to move to 63 points and have sent stern warning to leaders Marseille with five matches to go.


AS Nancy’s Pascal Berenguer (right) challenges AJ Auxerre’s Dennis Oliech during their French Ligue 1 match in Nancy, France on Saturday. Photo: Reuters

Lyon (59) are third and Bordeaux (57) fourth with a game in hand over the champions league semi finalists and Auxerre.

Oliech, who has been mulling over a return to Al Arabi has found favour in coach Fernandez and has for the umpteenth time repaid the faith.

Up next is a visit to Toulouse on April 25 a match Oliech says should test their Champions League chasing credentials.

"Lyon and Bordeaux know they have a fight in their hands and we too know hence we should work hard. We have won away from from home and we shall approach the Toulouse fixture like any other," Oliech said.

Bright start

Lorient started the stronger at the Stade Abbe Gerland but Auxerre steadied before Harambee Stars forward set the alarm bells ringing by latching on Daniel Niculae’s sublime through pass to blast past Fabien Audard.

Two minutes later Poland striker Ireneusz Jelen raced onto BenoÓt Pedretti’s long pass to chip the ball over Audard to double Auxerre’s lead.While the 2-0 scoreline at half time was severe for a Lorient side who had dominated possession in the first term, Auxerre took the upper hand early in the second as Lorient defender JÈrÈmy Morel saw red when he brought down Romania Niculae just two minutes after Slovenian international Valter Birsa had made it 3-0 with a superb free kick in the 55th minute.

Bright start

Jelen had a chance for a second on 73 minutes, but failed to get the ball over the advancing Audard as Auxerre set up camp in ten-man Lorient’s half but it was the Breton’s who struck next, KÈvin Gameiro trying his luck with a lob.

Goalkeeper Olivier Sorin did manage to get a hand to it but the 14-goal striker got his head to the rebound to nod home and make it 3-1 on 82 minutes.

The goal didn’t spark the comeback Lorient coach Christian Gourcuff would have been hoping for, however, as Audard received his marching orders four minutes later for a foul on Jelen.

Defender CÈdric Hengbart fired home from the spot to give Auxerre their biggest goal tally for the season and nine-man Lorient spent the final minutes parked in front of their own to goal to avoid conceding any more goals.