Bordeaux prevail despite Butt heroics

Michaël Ciani scored for the second UEFA Champions League game running to make amends for his early own goal and enable FC Girondins de Bordeaux to see off nine-man FC Bayern München in a tense and eventful game.

Drama
Bayern got off to an ideal start thanks to Ciani's misfortune but the game slipped from their grasp in three disastrous first-half minutes when Ciani equalised and Thomas Müller was then dismissed. Marc Planus put Les Marine et Blanc ahead before the break and though Hans-Jörg Butt saved two second-half penalties, the latter after Daniel Van Buyten was also sent off, Bordeaux hung on to go two points clear at the top of Group A, with Bayern down to third before these sides' 3 November rematch.

Own goal
Ciani's first-ever European goal secured all three points for Les Girondins against Maccabi Haifa FC last time out, yet the defender's luck deserted him six minutes in as he deflected Holger Badstuber's corner into his own net from close range. Having just suffered a second straight defeat for the first time in Laurent Blanc's reign on Saturday, this early strike further dented the home side's confidence as Bayern's powerful midfield trio established a grip.

Ciani redemption
Bordeaux's principal creator, Yoann Gourcuff, failed to even touch the ball for nine minutes, but when he finally did, his diagonal pass found Marouane Chamakh who sliced wide from a tight angle. While chances from open play proved scarce, the Ligue 1 outfit succeeded in upping the pressure via set-pieces. Wendel had seen one stinging free-kick parried by Butt when, on 27 minutes, the Brazilian's corner was brilliantly flicked in by Ciani at the near post for the first goal against Bayern in the group, prompting an outpouring of relief from the 25-year-old.

Bordeaux ahead
The contest swung further in favour of the French champions when the visitors' in-form playmaker Müller picked up his second yellow card for a trip on Mathieu Chalmé, giving a now vibrant Bordeaux even more momentum. Wendel nodded Chalmé's cross over before Gourcuff's superb swirling shot produced a fine fingertip Butt save. However, the second goal duly arrived after 40 minutes, Planus forcing in Hamit Altıntop's attempted clearance after Wendel had whipped in a low free-kick from the right.

Penalty saved
The ten men of Bayern appeared content to allow Bordeaux possession in the second half, choosing their moment to spring forward with menace. On one such occasion, Luca Toni ghosted in at the near post before turning Bastian Schweinsteiger's cross wide. Gourcuff had the ideal opportunity to calm his side's nerves from the penalty spot after Butt had lost possession and fouled Chamakh, but the goalkeeper made amends by saving the French international's dinked effort one-handed. Gourcuff hooked the rebound wide of an empty net.

Toni denied
The drama continued on 72 minutes, Toni heading Mark van Bommel's centre against the post. That proved Bayern's final chance, but Bordeaux were made to sweat until the very end after substitute Jussiê had another spot-kick saved by Butt following a challenge on Chamakh for which Van Buyten was dismissed. Both he and Müller will miss the return.