Bordeaux frustrated in Le Havre [1-0]

Buoyed by a sell-out crowd, Le Havre started off on the front foot and consolidated their position as league leaders against the second-placed Girondins. The hosts' attacking tactics rapidly paid off, when Richardson converted a cross from the left flank to fire them into the lead after just nine minutes (1-0, 9’).

Le Havre immediately went looking for a second, but the Bordeaux defence held firm, led by Yoann Barbet (17’). A few minutes later Aliou Badji looked to have equalised, only to see the goal ruled out for offside (19’). The Girondins created more chances as the half wore on, with Zuriko Davitashvili (38’), Vital Nsimba (43’) and Dilane Bakwa (44’) all coming close but ultimately missing the target.

Le Havre were back on the attack in the second half, testing Gaëtan Poussin. Cornette headed wide from close range (54’), and minutes later the Bordeaux keeper produced a superb save to turn away a powerful drive from the edge of the box (58’). David Guion's boys weathered this period of pressure, and in the 67th minute found themselves with a numerical advantage: already booked in the first half, Cornette picked up a second yellow and headed off for an early bath.

The Girondins threw everything they had at the Le Havre defence, who stubbornly refused to yield. Perhaps the best chance of the evening came when Dilane Bakwa picked out Aliou Badji inside the box, only for Sangante to intervene and pressure Badji into shooting wide (81’).

Bordeaux kept pushing until the very end, but it did them no good. Junior Mwanga had the last roll of the dice, a long shot from outside the box which came to nothing (90’). The referee soon blew up for full time, and the Girondins were left to digest a 1-0 defeat at the hands of their closest rivals. A frustrating result which the boys in blue will be looking to avenge this Friday 30 December, when they take on Sochaux at the Matmut ATLANTIQUE.