Girondins Bordeaux 3 Willem II Tilburg 2

Girondins Bordeaux came close to letting a win slip against Willem II and needed a late goal to edge in front and claim a win that seemed assured after an excellent first half showing from the French side.

Substitute Pascal Feindouno chipped into the net after a run into space with seven minutes left and the Dutch side were unable to find a way back into the match.

Bordeaux were excellent in the first session as they rattled up a two goal advantage. They were poor at finishing though and needed a 16th minute own goal to register their first strike on target. Willem defender Raymond Victoria was turning with is back to goal and headed the ball behind him into an unguarded net. Lillian Laslandes was put clear in the 22nd minute to produce a neat finish from an excellent through pass by Johan Micoud as the home side hit the heights.

They crashed soon after though as Willem poured forward to pressurise a shaky defence.

Yassine Abdellaoui reached a cross from a corner to head in from close range in the 40th minute and then the Dutch raised their game with some good attacking play.

Corentin Martins missed an open goal with a header which skidded off his forehead in the 47th minute and the visitors found the equaliser in the 70th minute. Substitute Ousmane Sanou was put clear through the middle of the French defence to produce a low finish but it did not prove enough to share the points as Bordeaux rallied.