Bordeaux edge past Petržalka

FC Girondins de Bordeaux will take a slender lead to Slovakia for the second leg of their UEFA Cup first-round tie with FC Artmedia Petržalka after securing a narrow 2-1 success in France.

Petržalka in contention
The one-goal defeat gives the Slovakian side hope for the return leg, which takes place in three weeks' time at the Petržalka stadium in Bratislava.

Early lead
The Ligue 1 side began at a quick pace and looked to be on course for a comfortable victory as they took the lead inside seven minutes, Spanish midfield player Albert Riera found himself with time and space at the edge of the penalty area and opened the scoring with a well-struck low shot into the corner of the net.

Unexpected equaliser
The 17,000-strong crowd urged the home side forward, but were stung by an equaliser in the 16th minute, as a perceptive ball over the top of the defence put Marek Krejcí through on goal and the Petržalka striker took full advantage as Bordeaux goalkeeper Ulrich Ramé hesitated to shoot his side level.

Pascal denied
The French side soon recovered form the shock of conceding and were unfortunate not to retake the lead in the 33rd minute as Feindouno Pascal spotted the goalkeeper off his line and tried an audacious lob, only to see the ball come back off the crossbar.

Diving Darcheville
Four minutes later, the home side were in back in front as Jean-Claude Darcheville met a left-wing cross with a powerful diving header to restore his side's lead.

Second-half chances
The home side began the second period determined to add to their one-goal lead, and Argentinian defender Mauricio Pochettino had a header blocked, before Riera sent a free-kick only fractionally over the crossbar, but Bordeaux eventually had to settle for the more fragile of victory margins.