Mara brace propels Auxerre as Angers fall to 10 men | OneFootball

Match in Five Sentences: Auxerre beat Angers 3-1 in Ligue 1. Sekou Mara opened the scoring in the 12th minute with a close-range finish, and Amine Sbaï was sent off in the first minute of first half stoppage time for a second yellow. After the restart, VAR confirmed the spot kick but Branco Van den Boomen's penalty was saved (51.), before Mara doubled the lead (61.) and Lassine Sinayoko added a third (67.), with Goduine Koyalipou later converting from the spot (77.). Auxerre won 73.3% of their aerial duels and produced 19 attempts, reflecting control against depleted opponents. Auxerre host Nice next, while Angers welcome Strasbourg.

Player of the Match: Sekou Mara scored twice, had three shots on target and set up Lassine Sinayoko, leading Auxerre's attack throughout.

Stat of the Match: Herve Koffi produced seven saves, keeping the margin down as Auxerre repeatedly tested him.

Three Things We Learned: Mara and Lassine Sinayoko combined brilliantly, sharing three goals and teeing each other up once. Angers played the second half with 10 men after Amine Sbaï's second booking, yet still scored from the spot. Auxerre posted 19 attempts and 55.9% possession, underlining control for long spells.