Ghanaian defender Gideon Mensah is elated as AJ Auxerre secures promotion back to the French Ligue 1, clinching the French Ligue 2 title with a game to spare.

After being relegated from Ligue 1 to Ligue 2 last season, Mensah’s team swiftly bounced back to the top tier by clinching the championship in the lower division.

In their penultimate game against Amiens on Friday, May 10, Auxerre secured a goalless draw, accumulating 71 points. Their closest competitor, Angers, trailed by four points with only one round of league fixtures remaining.

During the match, fellow Black Stars defender Nicholas Opoku played the full duration for Amiens, while Elisha Owusu did not feature.

Mensah, aged 25, entered the game as a substitute in the 78th minute, making a significant impact by winning two out of four ground duels and completing nine out of ten passes accurately during his 12-minute appearance.

Throughout the season, Mensah contributed two assists in 25 league games, although he did not score any goals. He also faced challenges during the 2023 AFCON, where Ghana exited the tournament in the group stage.