Bordeaux tripped up by Saint-Etienne [1-2]

The Girondins narrowly lost out to Saint-Etienne this evening [1-2]. Nordin put the visitors ahead in the 15th minute. Ui-Jo Hwang levelled nine minutes later, but Neyou restored Les Verts' lead in the second half (75'). Despite their best efforts, Bordeaux could not quite find an equaliser.   Was the course of this game decided in the 30th minute? Six minutes after Ui-Jo Hwang's equaliser, Youssouf Sabaly hit the post. A few millimetres the other way and this game could have been very different. And yet, when Ui-Jo Hwang found the net it looked as if the match was turning in Bordeaux's favour. If only...

Benoît Costil was on excellent form as usual, standing firm to win two big duels (23' and 42'). Nordin's surprise early strike (15', 0-1) did not unsettle the Girondins unduly, and their confidence was soon rewarded in the form of Hwang's equaliser. The second half was a slightly different affair, with Bordeaux less dynamic and less assertive. Neyou's goal, fifteen minutes from the end, proved to be the beginning of the end (1-2, 75'). The pace dropped off, and Jean-Louis Gasset attempted to breathe new life into the game with four changes: Jimmy Briand, Mehdi Zerkane, Nicolas De Préville and Maxime Poundjé came on for Josh Maja, Toma Basic, Ui-Jo Hwang and Enock Kwateng. Hatem Ben Arfa and Rémi Oudin both missed the target with speculative shots (66', 80').

A bitterly disappointing home defeat for Bordeaux, but the boys have no time to dwell on it: they'll be back in action in Strasbourg this Sunday at 3pm.