With six wins and three draws since Didier Digard's debut at the head of the team, the record remains excellent for the young Nice coach.

But this second consecutive draw at home, after that conceded against Reims (0-0), slowed the progress of the Rouge et Noir.

With 42 points, Nice, lacking technical accuracy in the first period, remains two lengths behind Lille, traveling to Lens on Saturday (5:00 p.m.).

The fault also lies with a transfigured Auxerre team.

Undefeated for five matches now (two wins and three draws, her best series since 2011, she has 22 points and can, more than ever, hope to maintain herself.

If Nice dominated their first period, it was too laborious to be satisfactory.

However, despite a goal logically conceded following a tumble from Matthis Abline on the right side, which left Dante on the spot to serve his friend Gauthier Hein, scorer between the legs of Kasper Schmeichel (0-1, 36th), the men by Didier Digard did not let go.

Encouraged by the 21,133 spectators from the Allianz Riviera, they came back to score before the break.

Not on a penalty, following a jersey pulling on Khéphren Thuram (41st), the only blaster from a team that was too imprecise.

Gaëtan Laborde, little seen until then, indeed shot the Romanian goalkeeper of AJA Ionut Radu who was able to deflect for a corner (42nd).

But Laborde showed personality.

On the 19th center from Nice at halftime, the work of the stirring Swiss side Jordan Lotomba, the ex-Rennes equalized with a splendid diving header and offered his 9th goal of the season in L1, his 7th with Nice (1-1, 45th+1).

In a 4-3-3 system, with Pablo Rosario in low point, Hicham Boudaoui on his right, and without the Burundian Youssuf Ndayishimiye, touched the day before in training, Nice played its least accomplished period of the era. Digard, before dominating outrageously after the break.

Nice striker Gaëtan Laborde shoots a penalty saved by the AJ Auxerre goalkeeper at the Allianz Riviera, March 3, 2023 © Valery HACHE / AFP

But Terem Moffi saw Birama Touré counter his shot with one arm stuck to the body (47th).

Then, Boudaoui's attempts were deflected for a corner by Jubal (50th), on his bar by Radu (59th).

Digard tried hard, finishing with the Barkley-Brahimi-Bouanani trio ahead.

But nothing has done for the Aiglons who will play, on Thursday, a round of 16 first leg of the Europa League Conference in Moldova.

© 2023 AFP