Michael Ciani's late header gave Bordeaux a 1-0 home win over Maccabi Haifa in Group A.
Ciani secures French victory to continue promising start
Michael Ciani's late header gave Bordeaux a 1-0 home win over Maccabi Haifa and maintained their promising start in UEFA Champions League Group A.
The French champions dominated possession throughout and looked set for a goalless draw having struggled to create clear-cut chances.
But Ciani broke the deadlock seven minutes from time to ensure Bordeaux backed up their 1-1 draw at Juventus in the group opener with another positive result.
Just as Bordeaux did against Juve, Maccabi made most of the early running as they aimed to bounce back from their 3-0 home defeat by Bayern Munich.
Captain Yaniv Katan got down the right wing in the third minute and his cross was volleyed over by Georgian striker Vladimer Dvalashvili.
Bordeaux replied with Yoann Gourcuff heading wide from a right-wing cross by Matthieu Chalme, who had been picked out by a superb cross-field ball by Marc Planus.
Maccabi hit straight back with a fierce long-distance strike from right-back Eyal Meshumar punched clear by home keeper Cedric Carrasso.
Bordeaux began to control possession, with Wendel firing wide after neat play down the left, but the Israeli visitors continued to stretch them on the break.
Carrasso had to turn a speculative strike by left-back Tsepo Masilela to safety in the 27th minute before Katan hit a free-kick harmlessly over from a central position.
An inswinging free-kick by Gourcuff called Maccabi keeper Nir Davidovitch into action for the first time and Bordeaux missed their best chance yet in first-half stoppage time.
Cavenaghi miss
Right-back Chalme squared for Fernando Cavenaghi but the Argentinian striker turned the ball over from just inside the box.
Gourcuff was unable to reappear for the second half due to a thigh problem so Brazilian midfielder Fernando Menegazzo came into the fray but still there were few chances, with Bordeaux's Jaroslav Plasil resorting to a wayward long-range strike.
Carrasso then handed Dvalishvili a sight of goal in the 51st minute as for some reason the home keeper chased after a hopeful right-wing cross but Dvalishvili failed to direct his header goalwards.
Fernando sent two long-range efforts well wide and Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc aimed to revive his attack with the introduction of David Bellion for Cavenaghi on the hour mark.
Bellion threatened
Bellion and Wendel almost latched onto a Marouane Chamakh nod-down in the 70th minute and moments later Davidovitch had to block a close-range strike by Bellion.
Maccabi remained dangerous, though, and both Eyal Golasa and sub Lior Refaelov tested Carrasso from just outside the box.
But Bordeaux grabbed the decisive goal as Dekel Keinan left Ciani unmarked to head home from sub Gregory Sertic's left-wing corner, with Refaelov inexplicably letting it creep inside the far post.
Maccabi still had time to snatch a point but their hopes were dashed when Baram Kayal was shown a straight red card in the 88th minute for a studs-up lunge on Benoit Tremoulinas.
| Bordeaux |
Team Statistics |
Maccabi Haifa |
| 1 |
Goals |
0 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 3 |
Shots on Target |
3 |
| 10 |
Shots off Target |
3 |
| 6 |
Blocked Shots |
7 |
| 6 |
Corners |
6 |
| 14 |
Fouls |
22 |
| 2 |
Offsides |
1 |
| 1 |
Yellow Cards |
1 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
1 |
| 79.2 |
Passing Success |
71.7 |
| 21 |
Tackles |
20 |
| 66.7 |
Tackles Success |
85 |
| 59.6 |
Possession |
40.4 |
| 62.6 |
Territorial Advantage |
37.4 |
|
