High-flying Strasbourg thrash Bordeaux
STRASBOURG: Strasbourg continued their fine form with a 3-0 win away to lacklustre Bordeaux in the French League.
Striker Stephane Bahoken gave the visitors the lead after just two minutes. Midfielder Dimitri Lienard struck a powerful free-kick shortly before half-time, and striker Martin Terrier scored a superb third midway through the second half.
The 20-year-old Terrier collected the ball deep inside his own half and sprinted through, showing excellent ball control to dribble past two players before curling the ball past goalkeeper Benoit Costil.
“Every day they surprise me, I admit that,” Strasbourg coach Thierry Laurey said of his players. “But there’s a long way to go.”
Six years ago, the Alsace-based side went into liquidation and tumbled down the leagues. After gaining promotion to Ligue 1, many tipped Strasbourg to struggle this season. But this success followed last Saturday’s 2-1 home win against previously unbeaten leaders Paris St Germain and moved Strasbourg into 11th place.
Bahoken scored against PSG and pounced again with another direct goal.
Following a long clearance from the goalkeeper, he latched onto a pass from Terrier before cutting inside centre-half Vukasin Jovanovic and confidently slotting home.
Lienard’s free-kick from the right side of the area flew into the top right corner, catching Costil off guard in the 38th minute.
Bordeaux dropped down to 12th place. Home fans chanted for coach Jocelyn Gourvennec to resign and jeered their own players when they touched the ball.
“We could have played for two hours without scoring,” Gourvennec said. “I can understand the anger of our fans.”