Bordeaux back on track

Bordeaux enjoyed a welcome return to winning ways on Saturday evening as they gained a 2-1 victory over struggling Evian.

Bordeaux enjoyed a welcome return to winning ways on Saturday evening as Henri Saivet's late header handed Les Girondins a 2-1 victory over struggling Evian at the Stade Chaban-Delmas. Kevin Berigaud looked to have earned the visitors a point in the 73rd minute when he cancelled out Julien Faubert's 52nd-minute opener, but Saivet popped up eight minutes from time to nick all three points for the hosts. The result lifted Francis Gillot's side, who had lost four of their previous five games, up to eighth in the Ligue 1 standings, and left Pascal Dupraz's side just one place outside the relegation zone. It may all have been so different had Moudou Sougou converted the first noteworthy chance of the game, but his low right-footed drive from Cedric Barbosa's lay-off was kept out by Bordeaux goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso in the seventh minute. Saivet had his first sight of goal 12 minutes later, curling narrowly over the bar after latching onto Faubert's pass. The hosts continued to get a foothold in the game as the half wore on but were struggling to find a way past Evian goalkeeper Jesper Hansen. Guillaume Hoarau directed a header just over the bar from Nicolas Maurice-Belay's cross in the 24th minute, and 11 minutes later Hansen blocked a fierce blast from Landry N'Guemo. It remained goalless at half-time, but within seven minutes of the restart the deadlock had been broken as Faubert capitalised on some sloppy defending and curled home the opener from 12 yards. Evian could have equalised midway through the first half only for Carrasso - at full stretch - to turn Sougou's effort away for a corner, but soon after they were indeed back on level terms. The Bordeaux defence were hesitant in dealing with Daniel Wass' cross and Nicolas Benezet pounced to tee up Berigaud, who beat Carrasso from close range at the near post. The visitors' celebrations were short-lived, however, as in the 82nd minute Saivet rose highest to meet Gregory Sertic's corner and nod the decisive goal past a helpless Hansen.