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CFR 1907 Cluj tasted defeat in the UEFA Champions League for the first time after an own goal from their captain Cadú kick-started FC Girondins de Bordeaux's Group A campaign.
Maurizio Trombetta's team arrived in south-west France with four points from two games, and appeared capable of continuing the run, easily stifling Bordeaux in the first half. The Ligue 1 outfit improved after the break, though, sealing their first points in the section when Cadú deflected Yoann Gourcuff's innocuous-looking cross past a helpless Eduard Stăncioiu nine minutes into the second period. Eugen Trică was sent off in the last minute for CFR and will miss the reverse fixture in Romania in a fortnight.
Bordeaux had managed just two shots on target in the defeats by Chelsea FC and AS Roma, and they showed few signs of enhancing that meagre tally in a tepid opening. With CFR's five-man midfield affording the hosts little space, Laurent Blanc's charges had to wait until the 18th minute for their first hint of an opportunity, Gourcuff hitting a powerful effort wide from distance having latched on to Marouane Chamakh's deft header.
For the most part, however, the visitors kept Bordeaux and their in-form playmaker at arm's length, while threatening intermittently at the other end. Midfielder Sixto Peralta, standing in for Dani who was only fit enough for the bench, was the first danger man for CFR, heading over after Trică had nodded Juan Culio's 27th-minute set-piece dangerously across goal. With the Romanian champions growing in confidence, their hero of the Matchday 1 triumph at Roma, Culio, broke free inside the box on 36 minutes only to see his low strike saved by Ulrich Ramé, returning after a groin injury.
The lack of cohesion in Bordeaux's play was surprising given their better domestic form, and though they dominated the latter stages of the first period, Stăncioiu was largely a spectator. Indeed, after Fernando had sent a snap-shot off target, Chamakh glanced Matthieu Chalmé's centre beyond the far post. Chalmé himself then volleyed into the side-netting and Stăncioiu's first meaningful intervention came in first-half stoppage time when he easily claimed Gourcuff's firm drive.
Whatever Blanc told his players at the interval had an immediate effect. Chamakh had already had an attempt stopped by Stăncioiu when the Moroccan international fed Gourcuff, and his ball from the right was deflected past his own goalkeeper by Cadú. The goal was a cruel blow for CFR, who had defended with authority until that moment, although things almost got worse for the competition newcomers nine minutes later. Cadú again poked the ball towards his net, this time from substitute Wendel's corner, but the skipper was spared a second own goal by Stăncioiu's fingertip save.
The French side might have scored again as CFR pushed numbers forward late on, but Wendel's long-range free-kick was expertly kept out by Stăncioiu, who denied the Brazilian again seconds later. Bordeaux suffered one scare when Yssouf Koné charged clear on 77 minutes, yet the Burkina Faso international missed the target. Trică was dismissed following a second yellow card in the final minute to compound a disappointing evening for CFR. [uefa.com] |
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