Loan star boosts Bordeaux

A double from on-loan midfield player Albert Celades helped FC Girondins de Bordeaux come from behind to take a commanding position at the halfway stage of their UEFA Cup fourth-round tie against Club Brugge KV.

Spanish scorers
Celades, the Spanish international on loan from Real Madrid CF and Bordeaux team-mate Albert Riera scored the goals that beat Brugge 3-1 in the first leg at the Chaban-Delmas to leave the Belgian side with it all to do in the second leg.

Advances stifled
Goalscoring opportunities were hard to come by in the first half, both sides being stifled by miserly defences with anxiety characterising the game. But the home side soon started to get their game together with Brazilian midfield player Eduardo, who looked a class act throughout, pulling the strings.

First chance
It was, however, the visitors who got the clearest sight of goal early on when Andrés Mendoza got behind the defence and sliced the ball just wide of the far post. France international goalkeeper Ulrich Ramé was stranded and must have been relieved to see the ball drift beyond the net.

Wide threat
Bordeaux's Franck Jurietti looked to be the man most likely to create an opening as the half wore on, time and again being allowed to burst down the left wing and whip in dangerous crosses, but his team-mates could not capitalise.

Verheyen opener
The home side had Ramé to thank for keeping them level just after the interval. Mendoza burst clear but the pass from Gert Verheyen was fractionally too strong and the goalkeeper intercepted. But Ramé was at fault for the opener, when Verheyen's shot squeezed between him and the near post with just under an hour played. In the best move of the match for the visitors, Philip Clement swung the ball over and Belgian international Verheyen gave his side the lead and a vital away goal.

Rapid reply
Bordeaux's reply was instant. Celades beat the offside trap 30 seconds after the re-start and tricked his way beyond Brugge goalkeeper Dany Verlinden, having the presence of mind to calmly place his shot beyond the on-rushing defenders who tried to block.

Bordeaux dominate
Celades got his second of the night ten minutes later, lifting the ball beyond Verlinden on the edge of the Brugge penalty area and then lobbing the ball over the retreating David Rozenhal and Brugge went further behind three minutes from full time when Riera beat the offside trap and fired expertly into the far corner.