France round-up: Auxerre held despite Cissé double

Djibril Cissé scored twice as AJ Auxerre were held to a 3-3 draw by CS Sedan-Ardennes in the French first division on Sunday.

Lemerre reminder
Cissé's double will be yet another reminder of his form to France coach Roger Lemerre, but Auxerre side were denied victory when Khalilou Fadiga missed a late penalty. It is a result that damages Auxerre's title hopes but does not extinguish them completely.

Crucial fixtures
They currently trail Lyon by two points and Lens by three, with two matches to play each, but are helped by the fact the top two meet on the last day of the season when a draw may suit Auxerre. Auxerre travel to AS Monaco FC next week while Olympique Lyonnais are at FC Girondins de Bordeaux and RC Lens at home to En Avant Guingamp.

Early lead
In tonight's match, it was Sedan who opened up an early two-goal lead. Stéphane Noro was nearly the man to get their 27th-minute opener, but his long-range drive hit the bar and rebounded into the path of Pius N'Diefi who slipped the ball past Fabien Cool.

Fadiga strike
N'Diefi got his second goal six minutes later when he surged ahead of defender Johan Radet to sidefoot Henri Camara's left-wing cross into the net. That goal spurred Auxerre into action and Cissé burst out of midfield and crossed for Fadiga to slam the ball into the net. The reply came just a minute after Sedan had gone two goals ahead, and was a warning that Auxerre were not to be rolled over.

Cissé equaliser
Cissé equalised two minutes before half-time with what was remarkably his first headed goal of the season. He rose well to power in Jean-Sébastien Jaurès' cross, giving Patrick Regnault little chance. And Auxerre were ahead two minutes after the break when Cissé scored another with his head. Cissé is hoping to win a FIFA World Cup call from France this summer after a season that has now seen him score 19 times in the league.

Camara on target
He was not included in Lemerre's latest France squad, however, and has had to be content with action in the French Under-21 team. Fadiga had been influential in today's match, but it was his Senegalese international team-mate Camara who was to ruin his and Auxerre's day. Sedan came searching for an equaliser and got it after 63 minutes when Jean-Louis Montero crossed for the striker to head into the net.

Missed penalty
Missing captain Yann Lachuer from midfield and key man Philippe Mexès from defence, Auxerre were lacking a recognised spine to their team. They should still have won though and Guy Roux will be ruing Fadiga's 71st-minute penalty miss. Fadiga was felled by Montero and he got up to take responsibility himself, only to send the ball sailing over the bar and into the crowd.