A last-gasp victory [1- 0] !

This weekend it was the Girondines' turn to take part in one of the classic rivalries of French football: Bordeaux - Marseille. Marseille kicked off but Bordeaux soon took control of the ball. Ghoutia Karchouni set Nadjma Ali Nadjim free for a run at the defence, but her shot was turned away for a corner. Rose Lavaud seized on some sloppy marking from the visitors to fire in a shot which grazed off the crossbar. Marseille finally managed to get some time on the ball, but couldn't get near Erin Nayler's goal. So far the game had been open and high tempo, with the battle raging in midfield.   Delphine Chatelin recovered the ball in defence and picked out Nadjma Ali Nadjim on the wing. Nadjim went round two defenders before delivering an excellent ball for Carol Rodrigues, who was thwarted by a lung-busting covering run from Maelle Lakrar (18’). Marseille finally got their first sight of goal in the 26th minute, when Caputo Cindy crossed for Asseyi Viviane. Erin Nayler caught her acrobatic effort with ease. With 30 minutes on the clock, the game began to even out. The Girondines were compact and focused in defence and attack, and were almost rewarded for their constant pressure: Carol Rodrigues charged down OM goalkeeper Geneviève Richard, who just managed to clear the danger (38’). In the 42nd minute OM captain Pizzala Kelly played a long ball for Asseyi Viviane who soon found herself one-on-one with Erin Nayler. Nayler came off her line superbly to win the duel! A decisive intervention from the Bordeaux keeper, ensuring that the score remained 0-0 at half-time. The Girondines returned from the break determined to score quickly. No.10 Solène Barbance was soon charging through the centre of midfield to deliver a pass for Nadjma Ali Nadjim. Her first-touch shot was just wide of the mark (46’). Bordeaux were back on the attack barely a minute later, with Carol Rodrigues attempting a lob from thirty metres. A good idea, but the shot was not powerful enough to get the better of the OM keeper (50’). Dominated in open play, Marseille looked to land a surprise blow from set pieces. Caroline Pizzala delivered an absolutely perfect cross for Viviane Asseyi, but Erin Nayler saved the day again (58’). As the game moved past the hour mark, substitutions were made and the first signs of fatigue began to show. In the 64th minute, Delphine Chatelin and Nadjma Ali Nadjim linked up down the left flank. Nadjma broke free and fired in a cross for Rodrigues at the front post, whose first-touch shot was just wide of the mark. With twenty minutes left to play the Girondines were clearly in control, but still had no goals to show for it. Marseille's attacking efforts were restricted to free kicks. Bordeaux kept on pushing, with Juliane Gathrat causing plenty of trouble for the visitors' defence. She put Rose Lavaud through on goal, but the latter's shot was stopped by Richard again (72’). A few minutes later Delphine Chatelain picked out Sarah Cambot with a decent cross, but Cambot's shot lacked power (76’). As time ticked away, the Girondines were still determined to get the goal they so clearly deserved. In the 85th minute Sarah Cambot fired off a rocket from outside the box, but Richard produced a magnificent save to box the ball away. Niamh Fahey narrowly missed the rebound. With the final whistle only seconds away, Jérôme Dauba's side kept on pushing forward. From a long free kick, Carol Rodrigues laid the ball off for Juliane Gathrat, who had slipped away from her marker. The striker wrong-footed Geneviève Richard and put the ball in the back of the net (89’) ! Bordeaux finally got the goal they so richly deserved, and ran out 1-0 winners after an entertaining and dominant display.