Bordeaux buckle at the last against Eintracht
Thursday, November 28, 2013
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FC Girondins de Bordeaux 0-1 Eintracht Frankfurt
Substitute Martin Lanig's late strike secured top spot in Group F for the visitors and their impressive travelling contingent as Bordeaux's hopes faded.
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Eintracht Frankfurt crossed the threshold into the UEFA Europa League round of 32 as Group F winners after a 1-0 victory at FC Girondins de Bordeaux that ended the French side's hopes of progress.
Cheered on by a competition group stage record of 12,000 away supporters, Eintracht resisted mounting second-half pressure from their hosts before taking the lead via Martin Lanig with seven minutes remaining. The substitute's decisive strike put his team beyond reach at the top of the section and left Bordeaux rooted to the foot of the table.
With their incredible travelling contingent dressed in bright orange and running through a noisy repertoire of songs, Eintracht must have felt right at home at the Stade Chaban-Delmas. It showed in their early efforts too, the German visitors taking the game to Les Girondins, with Sebastian Rode steering an early header wide.
Francis Gillot's charges had pride as well as their tournament future at stake, however, and nearly went ahead on 23 minutes. Henri Saivet was released by Nicolas Maurice-Belay's lofted ball over the defence following a corner, and it took quick reactions from goalkeeper Kevin Trapp to deny the No10 at close range.
Bordeaux finished the half pushing the harder of the two sides, yet both were guilty of wayward passing. That wastefulness continued after the restart as Frankfurt's Václav Kadlec screwed wide in front of goal, though a touch of class was promptly introduced by Saivet, whose overhead kick from outside the area had to be tipped wide by Trapp.
Trapp's intervention was critical again when he denied Cheick Diabaté in a one-on-one situation. Bordeaux were building pressure, but it was at the other end that a goal was finally scored, Tranquillo Barnetta spinning free on the right and sending a low delivery across the face of goal that Lanig buried at the far post.