Girondins de Bordeaux 1–0 Olympique Lyonnais (Agg. 2-3): First Leg Deficit Too Much As OL Finally Reach Semis
Though Laurent Blanc’s Girondins claimed a fine victory, they didn’t do enough to overturn the initial 3-1 deficit, crashing out to OL...
By Robin Bairner
TEAMS
* Bordeaux
* O. Lyon
After a decade of trying, Olympique Lyonnais have finally reached the Champions League semi-finals, progressing past Girondins de Bordeaux, despite a 1-0 second leg loss.
Marouane Chamakh gave les Girondins hope on the stroke of half-time, prodding the ball home after a low Benoit Tremoulinas cross had caused uncertainty in the penalty area. Chances were few and far between in the second half as the visitors closed up shop and defended stoutly in the face of increasing pressure.
After a frenetic first leg, the Stade Chaban-Delmas witnessed a first half that was played at a similarly high tempo but which offered a great deal more structure to the game, with both defences looking far more resolute.
Lyon were getting the better of the opening exchanges, but they couldn’t find the knock-out punch that might have so damaged their opponents. Michel Bastos showcased his ball striking with a terrific 35-yard free kick that narrowly missed the top corner of Cedric Carrasso’s net, and Cesar Delgado’s wicked corner bounced about the home goalmouth dangerously but just couldn’t be turned home by Bafetimbi Gomis.
Bordeaux had looked nervous in the early stages of the game but came alive just as the 20 minute danger period that OL general manager Claude Puel had warned his side about. Characteristically, les Girondins threatened from set plays. Wendel swung in dangerous deliveries from the right, with his first touched just over the top by Yoann Gourcuff and another requiring evasive action from the visiting defence as Chamakh pivoted to shoot as the ball squirmed free six yards out.
While free kicks were one obvious source of home threat, another was Tremoulinas, who was galloping forward from his left-back position at every given opportunity. His first dangerous centre into the box nearly caught Jean-Alain Boumsong napping as Chamakh stole in front of him to gather possession, but the French defender was quickly back to block, and in any case the Moroccan was adjudged to have handled the ball.
For a period, OL seemed to have their opponents well contained, but Laurent Blanc’s side burst back onto the scene just before the interval when Alou Diarra’s thunderbolt from 30 yards cracked the top of the visiting bar with Lloris well beaten.
Energised by this moment, Bordeaux seized their chance. Jussie played in the advancing Tremoulinas with a clever pass down the left, allowing the adventurous full-back to cut into the box and fire a dangerous low cross into a forest of legs. Jaroslav Plasil seemed to get the first touch to the ball, but there could be little doubt that Chamakh got the decisive connection, prodding home instinctively from six-yards out.
Within 40 seconds of the restart, Gomis took advantage of a real lack of concentration to burst through on Carrasso down the right channel. The goalkeeper was rounded, but the former Saint-Etienne forward took the ball too wide and couldn’t pick out an OL player in the box.
In the ensuing minutes neither side could create any kind of meaningful openings. Shots were simply hopeful efforts from long range, with an outrageous shot from Gomis 35-yards out at an angle typical of the scraps both sides were restricted to. Needless to say, the striker’s effort was some distance off target.
OL were being well pinned back into their half, breaking with promise only infrequently but holding Bordeaux at bay impressively. Les Girondins tried several approaches to pick a hole in their opponents, but the organised defensive wall assembled by OL was impressive.
Forays into the visiting box from the hosts were rare as much of the play was taking place in the middle third of the pitch. When Chamakh brought the ball down on the edge of the area and was barraged in the back by Cris, referee Alberto Undiano Mallenco waved away appeals, much to the consternation of the hosts, who had earlier wanted a red card brandished at Aly Cissokho, who foolishly pushed Wendel to the ground in the first period.
A goal looked unlikely, but as tensions rose, so did the likelihood of a defensive error. Set plays continued to worry Lyon, and les Gones had a let-off when Gourcuff’s corner was headed a foot past by the free but stretching Ludovic Sane.
Blanc gambled, throwing Fernando Cavenaghi on for centre-back Marc Planus, and it nearly paid off with just four minutes remaining. Matthieu Chalme’s centre landed perfectly on the head of Wendel, though Lloris produced a fine reaction save with his left hand to deny les Girondins and send OL through to uncharted territory.
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