Auxerre still top despite home draw

PARIS (Reuters) -- Benjani, the early season sensation of the French first division, struck again on Sunday to give AJ Auxerre a 1-1 draw at home against Monaco that keeps them top of the French league standings.

With perfect timing, the 24-year-old Zimbabwean striker rose high above the Monaco defense to blast the ball just under the crossbar from a perfect free kick by Khalilou Fadiga.

But the Auxerre players were still tired from their 1-0 home defeat to Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday and allowed Monaco to come back into the game.

Guy Roux's side paid the price in the 68th minute when Shabani Nonda headed home the equalizer from Jerome Rothen's center.

Auxerre are now on 21 points, one clear of promoted Nice who had provisionally claimed joint top spot with a 2-0 win over Bastia on Saturday.

Monaco are third on 17 points, level with Olympique Marseille who suffered a crushing 3-0 defeat at Lille.

Benjani is now the top scorer in the French first division with seven goals, one more than established strikers like Brazilian Sonny Anderson of Olympique Lyon or Portuguese Pedro Pauleta of Girondins Bordeaux.

Clinical double

Pauleta scored a clinical double against Sedan on Sunday.

He weaved his way through the defense to shoot the first from close range and headed the second from a finely weighted Jean-Claude Darcheville center.

Anderson did not score on Saturday when Lyon, on a high after their Champions League win at Inter Milan on Wednesday, recorded their first away win of the season in the French league by defeating bottom-of-the-table Stade Rennes 1-0.

The French champions had to work hard for 50 minutes to tame the Brittany club. Their winner came from a shot by France striker Sidney Govou deflected by defender Lamine Diatta.

RC Lens lost virtually all hope of qualifying for the Champions League second round on Tuesday in La Coruna but they recovered from the disappointment to clinch a 2-0 win at Montpellier.

Their first goal came from Daniel Moreira who darted through the defense and weaved round goalkeeper Rudy Riou. John Utaka scored the second two minutes from time.

After three back to back wins, Olympique Marseille missed an opportunity to climb to the top with their defeat at Lille. The goals came from Hector Tapia, Philippe Brunel and Benoit Cheyrou in the 15th, 54th and 64th minutes.

 

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