Narrow defeat for the Girondines [0-1]

Three games left. Three games to secure a decent finishing spot in D1. Starting the afternoon in 5th, the Girondines travelled to Libourne to face second-placed PSG. The Parisiennes had won four of their last five matches, while the Girondines had drawn 4 out of 5. Jérôme Dauba fielded an experienced starting line-up, with Sophie Istillart taking the captain's armband. A decent crowd packed out Stade Jean-Antoine-Moueix, with Bordeaux flags flying all round the ground! The weather forecast was rain, but the sun was shining as the two sides took to the field.   PSG kick off PSG set out their stall in the opening minutes, dominating possession and moving the ball around well in midfield. But Bordeaux looked comfortable on the ball too, pressing forward at every opportunity.     With ten minutes played, the Girondines got their first sight of goal. The first corner of the afternoon was floated expertly into the box, but PSG keeper  Endler Mutinelli had it covered. Paris were well-organised at the back, but Bordeaux's high midfield line and intense movement were causing them problems! PSG's attacking onslaught began Just when things seemed to be going our way, PSG hit the post with a well-placed free kick. The visitors seemed to have gone to sleep for a while, but now they were well and truly awake. PSG's attacking onslaught now began, with probing movements stretching the Bordeaux defence to the limit. In the 24th minute Katoto shrugged off her marker to tee up Hermoso Fuentes, who duly put Paris Saint-Germain into the lead (0-1). It took the Girondines a while to recover from this blow, but they looked the stronger of the two sides in the minutes before half time. Lindsey Thomas, kept quiet by a lack of decent opportunities so far in this first half, latched on to a very good ball from Ali Nadjim and fired off a shot which ended up in Mutinelli's gloves. PSG led at the break, but the Girondines' effort and creativity in those closing minutes gave the crowd every reason to be optimistic about the second half.   Second half. PSG made a few tactical changes early in the second half, and they seemed to pay off. Jérôme Dauba responded with a few substitutions of his own, as Bordeaux kept searching for a chink in the visitors' armour. Juliane Gathrat came onf or Nadjma Ali Nadjim, a clear sign of the Girondines' attacking intentions. Unfortunately, the second half soon turned into a repeat of the first as PSG demonstrated the superiority which has been the hallmark of their season. The Parisiennes dominated possession, while Bordeaux did their best to hold on and seize the few opportunities that presented themselves. Ultimately the Girondines did a decent job of resisting PSG's attacking pressure, but their own offensive efforts often fizzled out before they had really begun. The game ended 1-0, a respectable result against a superior opponent. PSG dominated this match, but there are plenty of positive points to be taken from the Girondines' performance.