SOCCER - MARSEILLE HOLD AUXERRE TO GOALLESS DRAW .
PARIS 1996-08-27
Former European champions Marseille held French champions Auxerre to a goalless draw in a lacklustre league match on Tuesday .
The bill looked promising but both sides , struggling to find their form early in the season , were disappointing .
Auxerre , who start their European Cup campaign next week against Ajax Amsterdam , dominated the match but were unable to score .
Unbeaten in four matches , they still trail leaders Lens by one point .
Lens , who have won all their three league matches so far , host Montpellier on Wednesday night .
Despite another dismal performance , especially in defence , Marseille restored some pride by keeping the reigning champions at bay after losing 2-1 at home to Metz last Saturday .
After two seasons in the second division and after taking on half a dozen new recruits this season , some of whom do not speak a word of French , Marseille are not playing with any fluidity .
But German international goalkeeper Andreas Koepke again proved a sound investment when under pressure from the Auxerre strikers , saving his team with a number of fine parries .
Marseille now lie seventh in the league on five points .