Gaëtan Laborde marked his comeback from injury by scoring the winner as Girondins de Bordeaux claimed a morale-boosting 1-0 victory away to ESTAC Troyes on Saturday.
ESTAC Troyes 0 - 1 Girondins de Bordeaux
THE MATCH
All the drama happened in the early stages at the Stade de l'Aube, with the home side losing Christophe Hérelle to a potentially serious calf injury inside nine minutes before winning a penalty. Stéphane Darbion was brought down in the box by Soualiho Meité, the midfielder making his Ligue 1 Conforama debut for the visitors after joining on loan from AS Monaco. However, Saîf-Eddine Khaoui's penalty was saved by Benoît Costil, diving low to his right (12').
Bordeaux then took the lead following a move that began with them recovering possession in their own half. Brazilian starlet Malcom broke down the right before crossing for the unmarked Laborde to head home with Troyes goalkeeper Mamadou Samassa stranded (15').
Jocelyn Gourvennec's side then dug deep to hold on for a huge three points after six straight defeats in all competitions, and just one win in their last 12 Ligue 1 Conforama outings in 2017. There was a clean sheet for a new-look defence that featured teenage debutant Jules Koundé alongside Paul Baysse, the new signing from Málaga.
Bordeaux thought they had a second goal midway through the second half, but Younousse Sankharé's effort was disallowed for offside. One goal was enough, even if Troyes came close to equalising in the closing stages as Suk Hyun-Jun tried to turn in a Samuel Grandsir cross.
THE PLAYER: Gaëtan Laborde
Bordeaux may just have found the centre-forward they were looking for as Laborde returned after injury to make his first league appearance since September 8 in Lille and his first start of the campaign. This was his first goal since May.
THE STAT: 6
That is the number of consecutive defeats Bordeaux had suffered away from home in the top flight before this game, their worst run in the same season since the spring of 1976. That is over now, and Gourvennec will be hoping it can be the start of a positive sequence for his embattled side.