Strasbourg Thrash Auxerre 5-1 to End a Run of Four Straight Ligue 1 Defeats

Strasbourg beat Auxerre 5-1 at the Stade de la Meinau on Sunday, November 1, in a Ligue 1 Matchday 9 game. The win ended a run of four straight league defeats. Auxerre had a player sent off in the second half.

The first half was slow. Strasbourg took their time at home. Dario Essugo then broke the deadlock in the 41st minute. That gave Strasbourg a 1-0 lead at half-time.

The home side took control after the break. Martial Godo made it 2-0. Conrad Harder then scored from the penalty spot to make it 3-0. Cameron Archer pulled one back for Auxerre, which gave the visitors some hope.

The game changed again soon after. Teenage Auxerre midfielder Liamfa Dioubate was sent off not long after Archer's goal. Strasbourg made the most of the extra man. Gessime Yassine scored twice in the closing stages to complete the 5-1 win.

The result was a big boost for a team that needed one. Strasbourg had lost their last four games before this match. They now have 10 points from nine games. They sit 12th in the table, with a goal difference of minus two.

The match was always going to be a hard one for Auxerre. They had conceded more goals away from home than any other team in Europe's five major leagues this season. That record got worse in Strasbourg. Auxerre are coached by Will Still, who took over in June.

Strasbourg have shown they can score heavily this season. They won 6-2 at Troyes on September 6. They also lost 4-0 at Marseille on August 21. That game drew the biggest crowd of the Ligue 1 season so far, 65,089 fans at the Vélodrome.

Strasbourg are coached by Hugo Oliveira, who took over in July after Gary O'Neil left for Ipswich Town.

Strasbourg's next game is away at Toulouse on Friday, November 6. Toulouse have 10 points and lost 2-0 at Marseille on the same day as this game.