Marseille bounced back from their Coupe de France final defeat with three important points from a 3-1 victory at Auxerre.

Goals from Mamadou Niang and Renato Civelli put Marseille 2-0 ahead and, although Auxerre pulled a goal back through Jean-Pascal Mignot, the Burgundy club could not find an equaliser.

The goal lifted Marseille to fourth in the table which would earn them a UEFA Cup slot, while they are also level on points with third-placed Lille in the race for a place in the preliminary round of the Champions League.

Marseille looked a little hungover from their disappointing result in the Coupe de France against arch-rivals Paris St Germain and Auxerre created the first chance when Benoit Cheyrou forced Fabien Barthez to make an early save.

The custodian distinguished himself again to save at the feet of Thomas Kahlenberg.

Marseille stirred from their slumber after 11 minutes when Franck Ribery's free-kick was volleyed just over by Niang.

Four minutes later it was the visitors from the Mediterranean coast who took the lead when Niang raced onto a pass from Frederic Dehu and found the net.

Auxerre tried to hit back and Peguy Luyindula had a shot deflected behind while Kahlenberg curled a shot wide.

Barthez then made a save from a Cheyrou free-kick as the Burgundy side continued to threaten.

Kahlenberg's poor back pass almost let in Niang for a goal but the Senegalese forward was unable to control the ball and the chance went begging.

Early in the second period, Luyindula forced a save from Barthez while at the other end Fabien Cool denied Samir Nasri.

Marseille almost doubled the lead when Taye Taiwo's free-kick rattled the woodwork.

After 68 minutes Auxerre came close to equalising when Cheyrou's free-kick in turn clipped the post but then came Marseille's second goal.

Civelli was the scorer as he got his head to a cross from Toifilou Maoulida.

Mignot pulled one back for Auxerre when he punished poor defending from a Kahlenberg free-kick.

Kahlenberg missed a good chance to equalise when he fired wide with only Barthez to beat and substitute Romain Poyet headed over but Auxerre could not find the equaliser they were looking for.