Bordeaux grab narrow victory

Ludovic Sane's goal gave Bordeaux a 1-0 win which maintains their upward progress in Ligue 1 and plunges Sochaux into relegation trouble. Sane struck in the 22nd minute at Stade Chaban Dalmas to seal a fourth successive home victory for Les Girondins. However, Mehmed Bazdarevic's Sochaux side have now picked up just one point from the last 15 available, leaving them just one point above the drop-zone. The visitors had the first chance of the game in the 15th minute, with Edouard Butin curling an effort wide after goalkeeper Cedric Carrasso's punched clearance had fallen to him for a second attempt. Sochaux goalkeeper Teddy Richert did well to block Cheick Diabate's header, but two minutes later the home side made the decisive breakthrough. Yoan Gouffran received the ball from Sane on the edge of the Sochaux penalty area, before crossing for the Senegal international to beat Richert with a right-footed shot. Gouffran nearly doubled the lead five minutes later when he deflected Nicolas Maurice-Belay's cross goalwards, then Benoit Tremoulinas brought a good block out of Richert after patient build-up involving Henri Saviet, Gouffran and Diabate. Sochaux's Ryad Boudebouz came within inches of an equaliser in the 36th minute, with his free-kick going narrowly over. However, Bordeaux finished the half on top and Richert needed to be at full stretch to stop Diabate making it 2-0 from 25 yards. Carrasso saved Sebastien Roudet's free-kick in the 63rd minute, then six minutes later the Bordeaux goalkeeper fisted clear Boudebouz's header from Kevin Anin's free-kick. But the visiting challenge petered out and Bordeaux came closest to a goal in the closing stages, with Gouffran and Maurice-Belay combining to set up Anthony Modeste for a volley which went narrowly over Richert's bar in the 73rd minute.