Gessime double helps Strasbourg end winless run with emphatic Auxerre victory

Strasbourg returned to winning ways in Ligue 1 with a 5-1 victory over Auxerre on Sunday, as Morocco international Yassine Gessime scored twice and created another to end his side’s difficult run of results.

Gessime played a central role in one of Strasbourg’s most convincing performances of the season. He set up Martial Godo for the second goal in the 55th minute before adding the fourth with a left-footed finish 22 minutes later.

The 19-year-old completed the scoring in the 85th minute, rising to head home and cap a night in which he was one of the outstanding players on the pitch.

Strasbourg had taken the lead shortly before half-time when Portugal international Dario Essugo scored in the 41st minute. Denmark forward Conrad Harder then converted a penalty in the 62nd minute to make it 3-0.

Cameron Archer pulled one goal back for Auxerre in the 68th minute, but any hope of a comeback was ended six minutes later when substitute Lamine Diopaty was shown a straight red card.

Diopaty had been on the field for only 11 minutes after replacing Kevin Danois when he was dismissed, leaving Auxerre to play the closing stages with 10 men.

Gessime’s performance also marked his return to the goals. His previous goals had come in the second round, when he scored twice against Lens.

The two goals against Auxerre take his Ligue 1 tally to four for the season, while he has also provided three assists. In contrast, he registered only one assist in eight appearances last season.

The result was Strasbourg’s first win in five matches. They had taken just one point from those games and suffered four consecutive defeats before Sunday’s emphatic success.

Strasbourg moved on to 10 points and climbed level with Auxerre in 12th place in the Ligue 1 table.