By JEROME PUGMIRE
AP Sports Writer
PARIS (AP) -- Midfielder Juninho scored his 12th league goal of the season as Lyon coasted to a 3-0 win at Auxerre on Sunday and moved closer to a fourth straight French first division title.
Ghana midfielder Michael Essien and Brazil defender Cris added further goals as Lyon moved 11 points clear of second-placed Lille.
Lyon, looking to join Saint-Etienne and Marseille as the only French teams to have won four consecutive titles, has 69 points from 34 rounds of matches _ needing two wins to secure the championship.
"Lyon is on a different level to other teams," Auxerre coach Guy Roux told French television. "We couldn't do any more."
Lille, which has 58 points, has played one match less than Lyon and is four points ahead of third-place Monaco.
Lyon had not won in four matches but dominated from the start against sixth-place Auxerre, which suffered its first home loss of the campaign.
Essien hit the crossbar with an early header before Juninho capped off a fine Lyon move in the 27th minute, his 40th league goal in 120 appearances for Lyon.
Sylvain Wiltord released Anthony Reveillere down the right side and he pulled the ball back across the penalty area to find Juninho, who thumped a shot into the bottom corner.
Sidney Govou, Juninho and Essien then went close to adding more goals. In first-half stoppage time, Essien headed in Juninho's corner to put Lyon 2-0 ahead at the interval.
Auxerre's defense was unable to repel Lyon's attacks in the second half and Brazilian defender Cris headed in Florent Malouda's free-kick in the 55th.
Auxerre goalkeeper Fabien Cool made a brilliant late save to keep out a fierce Juninho free-kick heading into the top corner.
In other matches this weekend, it was: Monaco 2, Toulouse 1; Istres 0, Rennes 2; Lens 3, Sochaux 2; Ajaccio 0, Bordeaux 0; Nantes 2, Marseille 2; Strasbourg 1, Lille 2; Saint-Etienne 0, Metz 0; Caen 0, Bastia 1.
Paris Saint-Germain beat Nice 3-1 at home on Friday.
