Christophe Pélissier, the coach of AJ Auxerre, told us on Thursday “that a climb cannot be decreed, you have to go and get it”. The scenario of the match, Saturday afternoon on the Troyes pitch, reminded the Burgundian players of the demands they will have to demonstrate this season to hope to play the leading roles.
The collective dynamic is very real among the players of coach Christophe Pélissier
There will obviously be a lot of adjustments to make, details to iron out, but AJ Auxerre showed on Saturday, in their domination and determination at the end of the match, that we will certainly have to count on them to play the very first roles this season. We had few doubts, given the quality of the Burgundian squad, but the collective dynamic is very real among the players of coach Christophe Pélissier.
Even if the Trojan opposition bordered on nothingness, especially in the first period, the Auxerres will have been enterprising and very active like the first twenty minutes where they completely asphyxiated their opponent. Eight corners obtained in this period of time, almost 100% of the time spent in the opposing direction and strikes like those of Gaëtan Perrin (8th), Lassine Sinayoko (10th, 17th), Ado Onaiwu (14th) or Rayan Raveloson (19th). It was logical that AJA opened the scoring with a cross from Gideon Mensah.
Abdoulaye Ndiaye pushes the ball into his own goal
The ball was diverted by Raveloson which poor Abdoulaye Ndiaye pushed into his own goal (0-1, 21st). The young central defender (21 years old) had single-handedly delayed the deadline through authoritarian interventions. But the bar was too high for this Trojan bottle class. And without the saves from Nicolas Lemaître on a shot from Perrin (44th) and the header from Jubal (45th), the difference on the scoreboard would have been much greater at the break.
But, without realizing its opportunities and with some blunders on the restart, which greatly annoyed Pélissier on his bench, the AJA was not immune to an error in defense or an adverse play. Especially since the Trojans were finally beginning to emerge from their torpor. The entries of Lika Ilic and Thierno Baldé were going to do a lot of good for ESTAC. And it was the turn of the Trojan captain, Xavier Chavalerin, to lead the revolt. In rage, he found Baldé on the right side whose center was timidly pushed by Donovan Léon. Jaurès Assoumou took advantage of the gift to equalize (1-1, 75th).
An unbridled end to the match with counterattacks on both sides
The meeting then became completely unbridled with counterattacks from both sides. But with more talent, it was Auxerre who snatched the victory with a strike from Elisha Owusu, who entered in the 74th minute, after a lot of work from Perrin (1-2, 90th+1).
For Troyes, it’s uncertainty. The project, to erase everything and rebuild essentially with very young players, perhaps found its limit on Saturday afternoon against Auxerre. After the final whistle, fans long called for the resignation of Australian coach Patrice Kisnorbo.
