Bordeaux vs. PSG: Winners and Losers from Ligue 1
Paris Saint-Germain failed to win for just the eighth time in Ligue 1 this season, as Girondins de Bordeaux hit back to earn a well-deserved point on Wednesday night.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, part of an underperforming PSG attack, opened the scoring in the second half, heading in Angel Di Maria’s back-post cross. Nicolas Pallois was excellent for Bordeaux, and just seven minutes after his club went behind, the centre-back levelled the score with a back-post finish.
The defender was the hero for the home side in the final few minutes, as he was in the perfect position to get his knee to a Lucas shot, doing enough to turn it past the far post.
PSG didn’t deserve to win the game, playing in second gear for most of the match. Bordeaux had the best chances before the break, with Adam Ounas, Diego Rolan and Jaroslav Plasil all coming close.
Laurent Blanc’s team looked like they were already thinking about the Coupe de France final against Marseille in 10 days’ time. They will need to play much better than they did on Wednesday if they want to complete their domestic quadruple.
Here are the winners and losers from PSG’s 1-1 draw with Bordeaux.
Winner: Nicolas Pallois (Bordeaux)
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The French defender enjoyed an excellent night against the Ligue 1 champions. He has recently recovered from a long-term injury and was back to his defiant best on Wednesday.
According to Stats Zone, the 28-year-old made two interceptions, one block, two clearances and didn’t commit a single foul:
"The excellent @PalloisN this evening. Superb performance via @StatsZone @girondins #FCGBPSG pic.twitter.com/nIIbXeCDbW
— Andrew Gibney (@Gibney_A) May 11, 2016"
Not only was he a one-man wall, stopping a number of PSG attacks—including a goal-line clearance from Lucas' late shot—but it was the former Niort centre-back who scored the equaliser for the home side.
Cheick Diabate knocked an out-swinging corner up into the air, Thiago Motta was slow to react and Pallois smashed home the back-post volley.
Loser: Clement Chantome (Bordeaux)
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Poor Clement Chantome. The Bordeaux midfielder came through the youth ranks at PSG, playing there from 2000 to 2015 and making 168 league appearances. On Wednesday night, he had a chance to make an impact against his old side, but his challenge would last just 22 minutes.
The 28-year-old would go down under what looked like nothing more than a routine challenge, and in doing so, it looked like he injured his wrist.
It was bad enough that he had to come off and Andre Biyogo Poko came on in his place.
Although he has started in 25 of his 26 appearances this season, he's failed to deliver on the promise he showed as a youngster in the French capital.
Winner: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (PSG)
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When PSG need a goal, there is only one man they can look to at the moment. As the rest of the team—well, he did too—took an end-of-season breather, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has continued to find the back of the net.
He scored his 36th goal of the league season on Wednesday, and it was a beauty. Angel Di Maria played in a left-foot cross from the right, Ibrahimovic had peeled off to the back post and superbly knocked the ball back across goal and beyond Jerome Prior.
It was a sensational header and one that seemed to defy normal gravitational logic.
Sadly, the Swede couldn't make it two. He was brought off after 70 minutes after appearing to pick up a knock—likely to save him for the Coupe de France final against Marseille.
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