AJ Auxerre suffered a heavy 5-2 defeat away to RC Lens on Saturday, a result marred by a series of controversial refereeing decisions. Manager Will Still voiced his frustration post-match, citing a harsh penalty and an early red card as key turning points, according to an article by Régis Testelin for L'Équipe.
The evening started poorly for the Burgundy side in the 10th minute. Referee M. Vernice awarded a penalty against Arthur Piedfort for a suspected handball in the area, a decision upheld by VAR. Will Still reacted with a wry smile in the press conference. "Arthur's handball? That's tough, really," he remarked, implying extreme severity.
The blow was compounded twenty-five minutes later by the sending-off of Christ Makosso for a foul on Abdallah Sima. Down to ten men for an hour, Auxerre then saw VAR intervene again to allow Lens's third goal, ruling Florian Thauvin was onside. The accumulation weighed on the team's morale. "When there are that many interventions from the officials, everyone is lucid enough to say... There will be days like that," conceded Still.
Despite the adversity, Auxerre showed a courageous and proactive face according to their manager. Midfielder Naouirou Ahamada was notably praised for his performance. Will Still preferred to focus on the spirit shown by his group. "The scoreline is heavy but I'm proud of the intent and the mindset," he stated. He refused to blame his players.
The Anglo-Belgian coach did acknowledge tactical errors, however. He pointed to a lack of pragmatism at certain moments, particularly concerning the second goal conceded which "cut our legs off." AJA will need to tighten up defensively while maintaining the boldness that has marked their start to the season. The schedule for the coming weeks, available on our fixtures page, will be key.
Auxerre has no time to dwell. The club hosts Angers next Saturday at the Stade de l'Abbé-Deschamps, a vital match for a quick rebound. Will Still plans to build on the positives from the Lens match. "We are at Auxerre and we will build on what was good." he assured.
The lesson from this trip to the north is clear: they must combine boldness with unwavering discipline to hope for points away from home. The season is long and the standings remain very open.
The immediate priority is preparing for the visit of Angers, a direct duel where AJA must absolutely find their way back to winning ways in front of their own fans.
