Bordeaux 1 - 0 Saint-Etienne - Bordeaux edge out St Etienne

Posted Sunday, February 15, 2015 by PA

Bordeaux's push for a top-four finish appears to be back on track after they squeezed out St Etienne 1-0 to make it back-to-back wins in Ligue 1.

A run of six matches without victory had seen Les Girondins slip off the pace in the battle for European football, but Diego Rolan's goal was enough to earn them three points as they closed the gap on their fourth-placed opponents to just one.

St Etienne, however, saw their winless run extended to five games with the top three remaining nine points ahead.

Despite their poor recent form, the visitors were the first to threaten and Cedric Carrasso was called into action as early as the fourth minute when Fabien Lemoine's turn and shot from close range was blocked by the Bordeaux goalkeeper.

St Etienne carved another opportunity moments later when Yohan Mollo's free-kick almost found the outstretched Kevin Theophile-Catherine but the defender could not quite get there and Bordeaux survived again.

In what was proving to be a fast-paced encounter, Franck Tabanou had another go at goal for the visitors but his rocket ended up in the side-netting before Max Gradel twice went close in a matter of seconds.

Les Verts continued to breach the Bordeaux defence, with Gradel going close with an acrobatic effort from Mollo's delivery, but it was the hosts who took the lead shortly before the break against the run of play.

Rolan broke free down the left and, despite the attentions of Paul Baysse, the Uruguay forward saw his long-range effort beat Stephane Ruffier just inside the post.

The lively Gradel tried to drag his side back level just after the break but could only fire over after going on a long mazy run from the halfway line.

Then, with an hour played, Rolan had a great opportunity to get his second of the game when he burst between two St Etienne defenders but, after his clever chip beat Ruffier, the ball ended up just wide of the post.

Despite some huffing and puffing late on from the visitors, with Gradel once again going close with an effort from a tight angle which Carrasso was forced to punch clear, Bordeaux held on for a valuable three points.