Substitutes Shine in Stoppage Time to Give Auxerre Point at Nice

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - OGC Nice v Auxerre - Allianz Riviera, Nice, France - March 14, 2025 OGC Nice's Evann Guessand celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Manon Cruz
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - OGC Nice v Auxerre - Allianz Riviera, Nice, France - March 14, 2025 OGC Nice's Evann Guessand celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Manon Cruz
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Substitutes Shine in Stoppage Time to Give Auxerre Point at Nice

Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - OGC Nice v Auxerre - Allianz Riviera, Nice, France - March 14, 2025 OGC Nice's Evann Guessand celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Manon Cruz
Soccer Football - Ligue 1 - OGC Nice v Auxerre - Allianz Riviera, Nice, France - March 14, 2025 OGC Nice's Evann Guessand celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Manon Cruz

Substitutes Florian Ayé and Ado Onaiwu combined in stoppage time to score and salvage a point in Auxerre's 1-1 draw at Nice in Ligue 1 on Friday.
The high-flying home side led through a 37th-minute header from Evann Guessand and was on top for most of the match, The Associated Press reported.
But a red card for a nasty foul by Melvin Bard with six minutes remaining opened the door for Auxerre, which was seeking a 500th victory in Ligue 1.
In the fourth minute of added time, Onaiwu’s pass set up Ayé.
The goal stopped Nice from returning to winning ways after a 2-0 loss at home to Lyon last week ended its four-game winning streak. Franck Haise’s men remain in third place, two points behind Marseille.
Auxerre was 11th.



Arsenal Closes the Gap on Liverpool after 1-0 Win against Chelsea in Premier League

Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Chelsea - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - March 16, 2025 Arsenal's Mikel Merino scores their first goal past Chelsea's Robert Sanchez. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Chelsea - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - March 16, 2025 Arsenal's Mikel Merino scores their first goal past Chelsea's Robert Sanchez. (Reuters)
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Arsenal Closes the Gap on Liverpool after 1-0 Win against Chelsea in Premier League

Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Chelsea - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - March 16, 2025 Arsenal's Mikel Merino scores their first goal past Chelsea's Robert Sanchez. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Arsenal v Chelsea - Emirates Stadium, London, Britain - March 16, 2025 Arsenal's Mikel Merino scores their first goal past Chelsea's Robert Sanchez. (Reuters)

Mikel Merino led Arsenal to a 1-0 win against Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday.

Merino's first-half header settled the London derby at the Emirates Stadium and saw second-placed Arsenal move within 12 points of leader Liverpool.

In another all-London clash, Fulham beat Tottenham 2-0.

Arsenal's title hopes have faded in recent weeks, but it closed the gap on Liverpool, which was playing Newcastle in the English League Cup final later in the day.

Merino rose in the 20th minute to flick Martin Odegaard's near post corner beyond Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. It was enough to secure a first league win for Mikel Arteta's team since February 15.

Defeat for fourth-placed Chelsea means it missed the chance to extend its one-point lead over Manchester City in fifth and boost its chance of qualifying for the Champions League next season.

Arsenal, on 58 points, is 10 clear of four time defending champion City.

Spurs blow

Another setback for Tottenham is likely to increase the pressure on coach Ange Postecoglou heading into the international break.

Spurs, in 14th, have only won one of their last five in all competitions and this was a 15th league defeat of the season.

Rodrigo Muniz gave Fulham the lead in the 78th at Craven Cottage and Ryan Sessegnon doubled the home team's lead 10 minutes later.

Fulham is eighth and four points behind Chelsea in the race for a Champions League place.