Bordeaux sign off in style

When a team which has difficulty scoring comes up against a normally rock-solid defence, you would think the outcome is inevitable. But FC Girondins de Bordeaux made a mockery of many pre-match predictions by firing in three extremely well-crafted first-half goals against PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday – doubling the ‘goals scored’ total from their previous five UEFA Champions League Group C games this season.

Confidence booster
Ricardo Gomes's side's 3-1 victory ultimately had no bearing on the final standings in the group - Bordeaux finished third and moved into the UEFA Cup Round of 32 - but was an enormous confidence boost for last season's runners-up in the French league. "By beating Galatasaray SK and now PSV, we have shown what we are capable of," said Stéphane Dalmat, who was voted man of the match by uefa.com users. "It's just a shame these performances came too late."

Pivotal role
The 27-year-old midfielder was instrumental in his team's win, bossing the middle of the park and more often than not playing a pivotal role in launching counterattacks. But his shining moment came in the 25th minute, when he picked up a loose ball in his own half, surged forward, side-stepped the normally impassable Alex with consummate ease, then chipped Heurelho Gomes from well outside the box. "I saw he was off his line, but you never know whether these long-range efforts will hit the target," he said modestly.

Getting established
Tuesday's performance was especially pleasing for Dalmat because he is still in the process of establishing himself in the Bordeaux first team. "I joined during the summer, and this was only my second start this season, mainly because of injury," said Dalmat, who came from Real Racing Club Santander, having played in Italy for FC Internazionale Milano and England for Tottenham Hotspur FC. "Obviously I am delighted for myself and for the team this evening. We enjoyed winning and have gained valuable experience that should help us progress in the UEFA Cup."