Striker Odair Fortes scored his first goal of the season to give Stade de Reims a 1-0 win over visiting Girondins de Bordeaux that lifted the hosts out of the Ligue 1 relegation zone on Friday.
Fortes’ goal in the 32nd minute ended Bordeaux’s three-match unbeaten run as the six-time champions lost their second this season.
With the loss, second-placed Bordeaux missed the chance to return to the top of the table and remain two points behind Ligue leaders Olympique de Marseille, who were to play at Stade Malherbe Caen Calvados yesterday.
Photo: AFP
Fortes broke the deadlock at the Stade Auguste Delaune against the run of the play when his powerful cross from the right took a deflection off Bordeaux defender Julien Faubert and lobbed goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso.
Reims’ third win of the season took the club to 13th place, four points above last-placed En Avant de Guingamp.
Les Girondins dominated from the start, but failed to capitalize against a well-organized team. Bordeaux striker Cheikh Diabate thought he had put the visitors level in the 60th minute when he slotted home with a right-footed strike in the 60th, but his celebrations were short-lived as his goal was disallowed for a handball by teammate Diego Rolan.
Photo: AFP
The visitors had another good chance to equalize 10 minutes from time when Emiliano Sala connected with Nicolas Maurice-Belay’s cross at the penalty spot, only for his header to go wide.
Bordeaux, who played without injured captain Lamine Sane, lost another player when Portuguese defender Tiago Ilori was forced off the pitch in the 27h minute with an apparent left-thigh injury.
“My players don’t have anything to feel bad about,” Bordeaux coach Willy Sagnol said. “But we have many injured players and we are lacking solutions to bring some extra freshness on the pitch. Marseille is far better than us, their squad is different and none of their players is on the injury list.”
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