Girondins de Bordeaux drew 1-1 with 10-man AS Monaco on Sunday in David Guion’s first game in charge of the struggling six-time champions. There were also wins for Stade Rennais FC and for Montpellier.
Girondins de Bordeaux 1-1 AS Monaco
THE MATCH
Bordeaux started the day at the foot of the table having lost five of their previous six league outings so they desperately needed a positive result in former Stade de Reims coach Guion’s first game at the helm since replacing Vladimir Petković in the dugout. They duly went in front midway through the first half when Rémi Oudin fired past Alexander Nübel after the ball dropped kindly for him in the area.
The home side were then given a massive boost when Monaco were reduced to 10 men just after the half-hour mark as Aurélien Tchouaméni, having already been cautioned, was shown a second yellow card for a challenge on Jean Onana.
However, Bordeaux’s Achilles heel this season has been their defence. They had not kept a single clean sheet prior to Guion’s arrival and they cracked here in the 67th minute at the Matmut Atlantique. It was the type of goal a side down on their luck might let in, as Gelson Martins saw his shot blocked by Anel Ahmedhodžić, only for the ball to rebound back off Marcelo and go in to make it 1-1.
The result does little to help Philippe Clément’s Monaco in their quest to qualify for Europe while Bordeaux continue to prop up the table.
THE PLAYER: Aurélien Tchouaméni
Tchouaméni did not enjoy his visit to face the club where he initially made his name as he was sent off for two first-half bookings.
THE STAT: 25
Bordeaux have not kept a single clean sheet after 25 games this season, the first time that has happened since Toulon and Stade Français in 1959-60.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Serhou Guirassy marked his first Ligue 1 start since September by scoring twice in the first 20 minutes to set Rennes on the way to a 4-1 win over struggling ESTAC Troyes. Canadian international Ike Ugbo pulled one back for Troyes before the break at Roazhon Park but Martin Terrier made it 3-1 to the home side inside the final quarter of an hour before Gaëtan Laborde added a late penalty to complete the victory.
Montpellier claimed a welcome win as Téji Savanier scored the only goal of the game to give them a 1-0 success at FC Lorient, while all the goals came in the first half as AS Saint-Etienne drew 2-2 with RC Strasbourg Alsace. Ryad Boudebouz put the home side in front at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard only for Habib Diallo and Lucas Perrin to turn the game on its head. However, Wahbi Khazri pulled Les Verts level again before the interval.
Stade de Reims and Stade Brestois 29 drew 1-1 in Champagne country, with Wout Faes giving Reims an early lead before Martín Satriano levelled for the visitors who then saw Youcef Belaïli fail to convert a second-half penalty.
