LOSC bounced back from a thrashing at Paris Saint-Germain last Sunday with a 3-1 win at AC Ajaccio. At the Stade François Coty, Yusuf Yasici, Jonathan Bamba, and Tiago Djalo all scored.
Lille’s long journey from the north of France to Corsica might have felt even more draining if Leonardo Jardim hadn’t leapt across his goal early on (7′) to deny Vincent Marchetti the opening goal for the hosts, but les Dogues soon settled into their stride.
Jonathan David had a goal ruled out for offside (11′) before Yazici made it 1-0 with a wonder-goal, teeing himself up for a volley on the turn that left Jardim’s opposite number Benjamin Leroy with no chance (17′).
Ajaccio thought they had a penalty claim when Mickal Alphonse and Ismaily collided in the visitors’ box while waiting for a corner, but referee Thomas Léonard waved it away after video review (27′). Ajaccio could have equalised when Mounam El Idrissy miscued a header from a fine Alphonse cross (36′), but Lille punished their carelessness at the end of the half by teeing up Bamba for 2-0 (44′).
In other news, Seko Fofana’s stunning strike propelled RC Lens to a 2-1 win over Stade Rennais on Saturday, sending them to the top of the table ahead of the rest of the weekend’s games.
Lens were rewarded for taking the game to their visitors after the break, as goals by Fofana and Los Openda left Rennes with too much to do to salvage a point, even if Gatan Laborde grabbed a late consolation.
In Saturday’s early game, newly promoted Auxerre defeated Strasbourg for their second straight win. Auxerre scored the game’s only goal just before the half-hour mark, leaving the visitors to rue a couple of big missed chances from the usually reliable Kevin Gameiro.
Gatan Perrin controlled a Lassine Sinayoko pass before firing low across Matz Sels and into the far corner to help Auxerre build on their 2-1 win over Montpellier last weekend, giving them seven points from four games. Strasbourg is still winless, with only two points to their name.