Lyon have advantage over Bordeaux in all-French Champions League tie

Posted Wednesday, March 31, 2010 by theguardian.com

Lyon have advantage over Bordeaux in all-French Champions League tie
Michel Bastos celebrates scoring Lyon's second goal against Bordeaux.

Two goals from Lisandro López and a strike from the Brazilian Michel Bastos gave Lyon the advantage in the all-French Champions League quarter final.

Bordeaux had conceded just three goals in eight games on their way to the last eight, but Laurent Blanc's side made a series of blunders which helped Lyon on their way.

There had been plenty of antagonism between the sides before the tie following a row over the rescheduling of Lyon's Ligue 1 match against Grenoble, with Bordeaux, who lost to Marseille in Saturday's Coupe de la Ligue final, adamant that their opponents should not be given an extra day to prepare for tonight's game by playing on Friday night.

Lyon's president ,Jean-Michel Aulas, had even described the tie as "a war", and it was his side who handled the pressure of battle with the greater poise. López put Lyon ahead in the 10th minute before the Arsenal target Marouane Chamakh equalised for Bordeaux four minutes later with a header. Lyon were caught short on the break after giving away possession and Chamakh headed home from Yoann Gourcuff's pinpoint cross.

However, the Brazilian winger Michel Bastos made it 2-1 from a tight angle in the 32nd minute and López sealed the victory with 13 minutes remaining from the penalty spot, sending the goalkeeper Cédric Carrasso the wrong way after Matthieu Chalmé was harshly judged to have handled.

The substitute Sidney Govou then missed a chance to effectively seal the tie as he volleyed wide with the Bordeaux defence in disarray once more.