Lille finishes third in Ligue 1 to secure a Champions League berth despite losing to Auxerre

Lille finished the Ligue 1 season in third place to secure a berth in next season's Champions League despite losing 2-0 at home to Auxerre on the final day, and already crowned French champion Paris Saint-Germain concluded its domestic campaign on a poor note.

Three clubs — Lille, Lyon and Rennes — could have still finished third before Sunday's final round of matches and join champion PSG and runner-up Lens in Europe's top club competition. But none of the trio managed to win, and Lille secured the coveted spot, one point above Lyon, which will go into Champions League qualifying.

Mali forward Lassine Sinayoko scored a brace for Auxerre, making sure his team would remain in the top flight and avoid the relegation playoff.

“This is not the match we wanted to play, but the main thing is that we finish third, it's the reward for a whole season, we should not focus on this final match,” Lille captain Benjamin Andre said. “This is very important for the club. Everybody wants to play in the Champions League.”

Lyon's hopes of finishing third quickly faded as coach Paulo Fonseca's players trailed by three goals before halftime at home against Lens. Florian Thauvin added another goal in the second half to seal the visitors' 4-0 win.

Meanwhile, Marseille beat Rennes 3-1 with goals from Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg, Amine Gouiri and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Esteban Lepaul, the league's top scorer, reduced the deficit with his 21st goal this season.

The win lifted Marseille to fifth place — level on points with Rennes but with a better goal difference — and into the Europa League.

In Paris, PSG, which sealed its 14th league title on Wednesday, made a short trip to its neighbor Paris FC and concluded its domestic season with a 2-1 loss.

Bradley Barcola put PSG in front only for Alimami Gory to level in the 76th and complete his brace in added time. PSG had been knocked out of the French Cup by Paris FC in January.

PSG will now focus on preparations for the Champions League final against Arsenal on May 30 at Puskas Arena in Budapest.

Nice, which drew 0-0 with last-place Metz, finished 16th and will take on Saint-Etienne in a tricky promotion-relegation playoff. The pitch was invaded a few seconds after the final whistle.

Strasbourg produced a remarkable comeback to beat Monaco 5-4 after trailing 4-1 in the 55th minute. Martial Godo and Sebastian Nanasi both scored twice in the game.

Veteran Nantes coach Vahid Halilhodzic saw the final match of his career end with an abandoned game.

Halilhodzic was honored with a guard of honor from the players and staff before the match against Toulouse and was treated to loud applause.

But the evening quickly descended into chaos as fans angered by Nantes' relegation to the second division stormed the field. After a lengthy interruption, local authorities ordered the match to be abandoned for security reasons.

The 74-year-old Halilhodzic is retiring after returning to Nantes in March and failing in his mission to keep the eight-time champion among the elite.

Halilhodzic won the French title with Nantes as a striker in 1983 and is third on the club’s all-time scorers list with 93 league goals. He scored eight goals for then-Yugoslavia. His coaching career included spells with Lille — where he was named coach of the season — and PSG, before taking charge of Ivory Coast, Algeria, Japan and Morocco.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

PSG's Vitinha, centre left, and Paris FC's Marshall Munetsi challenge for the ball during the French League One soccer match between Paris FC and Paris Saint-Germain in Paris, Sunday, May 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Paris FC's Alimami Gory, second from right, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal past PSG's goalkeeper Matvey Safonov during the French League One soccer match between Paris FC and Paris Saint-Germain in Paris, Sunday, May 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

PSG's team players celebrate with the trophy after winning the French League One title, before the French League One soccer match between Paris FC and Paris Saint-Germain in Paris, Sunday, May 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

Paris FC's Alimami Gory, centre left, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's second goal during the French League One soccer match between Paris FC and Paris Saint-Germain in Paris, Sunday, May 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Michel Euler)

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. (AP) — Aaron Rai shifted into high gear Sunday and pulled away from a world-class field with one amazing shot after another until he became the first English-born player in more than a century to capture the PGA Championship.

Rai, who dreamed of being a Formula 1 driver until he turned to golf, was three shots behind and approaching the turn at Aronimink Golf Club when he delivered a performance worthy of a major champion.

He made a 40-foot eagle putt on the par-5 ninth during a stretch when he one-putted seven straight greens to take the lead.

And on the closing holes when the contenders needed him to stumble, Rai holed a birdie putt of some 70 feet across the 17th green for the clincher.

The 31-year-old Rai, the first player of Indian heritage to win a major, closed with a 5-under 65.

Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy, Xander Schauffele all had their chances and until they were undone by untimely mistakes or failure to get good looks at birdie. McIlroy, who closed with a 69, played the par 5s in even for the week and he chopped up the reachable par-4 13th for a bogey.

Rai, who finished at 9-under 271, is the first player from England with his name on the Wanamaker Trophy since Jim Barnes in 1919, the second edition of this major and the first after World War I.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Jon Rahm, of Spain, looks at his club on the third fairway during the final round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Aronimink Golf Club, Sunday, May 17, 2026, in Newtown Square, PA. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Alex Smalley hits from the bunker on the third green during the final round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Aronimink Golf Club, Sunday, May 17, 2026, in Newtown Square, PA. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, watches his shot on the 11th fairway during the final round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Aronimink Golf Club, Sunday, May 17, 2026, in Newtown Square, PA. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Justin Thomas reacts to missing a putt on the 17th green during the final round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Aronimink Golf Club, Sunday, May 17, 2026, in Newtown Square, PA. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Matti Schmid, of Germany, waves on the third green during the final round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Aronimink Golf Club, Sunday, May 17, 2026, in Newtown Square, PA. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Scottie Scheffler reacts to missing a putt on the 17th green during the third round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Aronimink Golf Club, Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Newtown Square, PA. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Jon Rahm, of Spain, reacts to a missed putt on the 12th green during the third round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Aronimink Golf Club, Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Newtown Square, PA. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Matti Schmid, of Germany, waves on the 18th green during the third round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Aronimink Golf Club, Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Newtown Square, PA. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, lines up his shot on the 16th green during the third round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Aronimink Golf Club, Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Newtown Square, PA. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Alex Smalley hits from the fourth tee during the third round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Aronimink Golf Club, Saturday, May 16, 2026, in Newtown Square, PA. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)