Fernando Cavenaghi
PARIS – Fernando Cavenaghi scored early in the second half and Bordeaux beat Saint-Etienne 1-0 Thursday to keep pace with French league leader Lyon.
The victory gave Bordeaux 42 points, moving it back within three points of Lyon, which beat Lorient 2-0 on Wednesday.
Cavenaghi pounced on a poorly cleared ball inside the area. Goalkeeper Jody Viviani stopped his initial shot, but the Argentine forward converted the rebound in the 56th minute.
"It wasn’t an easy game but the essential is to take three points," Bordeaux goalkeeper Ulrich Rame told Canal Plus television. "We can’t play at 100 per cent in every match. But the squad rose to the occasion."
Defence dominated a first half with few chances.
Cavenaghi quickly took a free kick in the sixth that flew just over the crossbar.
Saint-Etienne replied a minute later with a low shot from Colombian midfielder Freddy Guarin that was saved by Rame.
Bafetimbi Gomis nearly opened the scoring for Saint-Etienne in the 20th, outpacing defender Marc Planus but was thwarted by Rame who blocked his close-range shot with his feet.
In the second half, Bordeaux nearly added an insurance goal when Brazilian substitute Jussie fed David Bellion inside the area in the 72nd. But Viviani launched himself at Bellion’s feet to snatch the ball.
On Wednesday, Hatem Ben Arfa and Karim Benzema both scored to lead Lyon over Lorient, helping the defending champion recover from its loss to struggling Lens four days earlier.
Ben Arfa scored from 20 metres off a pass from Brazilian forward Fred in the 28th and Benzema beat the offside trap in the 74th for his league-leading 14th goal this season.
The France forward also hit the post once in each half.
In Wednesday’s other games it was: Nancy 1, Marseille 1; Rennes 1, Nice 1; Caen 0, Auxerre 0; Valenciennes 1, Lens 2; Monaco 1, Sochaux 0; Lille 3, Le Mans 1; Strasbourg 2, Toulouse 0; Paris Saint-Germain 3, Metz 0.
Source: FRA: Bordeaux keeps pace with Lyon
