France round-up: Marseille miss their chance

Olympique de Marseille missed the chance to regain top spot in the Ligue 1 standings when they were beaten 3-1 at FC Girondins de Bordeaux on Sunday night.

Bordeaux in charge
Marseille have not won in Bordeaux since 1977 and rarely threatened to end that run, with the home side in control from the first whistle. However, despite the best efforts of Pauleta, Bordeaux were unable to break the deadlock in the first period, as the Portuguese striker hit the crossbar after nine minutes before missing a penalty a minute before the interval after Jean-Claude Darcheville had been fouled.

Second penalty
However, Bordeaux finally breached the Marseille defence eleven minute into the second half, when Pascal Feindouno scored from a Darcheville corner. Darcheville himself doubled the lead seven minutes later, converting another penalty awarded when Marseille defender Abdoulaye Meité handled in the area.

Decisive third
Marseille's Belgian defender Daniel van Buyten belatedly gave the away side hope, pulling a goal back with two minutes left to play, but Bordeaux’s last-gasp third from Brazilian striker Savio completed a disappointing night for the visitors.

Missed chance
The result means that Marseille remain in third position in the table, level on points with both leaders AS Monaco FC and OGC Nice but with an inferior goal difference. Monaco comfortably defeated CS Sedan-Ardennes 3-0 on Saturday while Nice beat En Avant Guingamp 1-0. Bordeaux moved into sixth place, just three points behind the top four and with a game in hand.