Nice (AFP)

The Girondins de Bordeaux have confirmed their ability to travel well this season and were able to take a point in Nice (1-1) to temporarily climb the podium Friday night opening of the 13th day.

The "British project" way Ineos Nice has not managed to overcome the "American project" Bordeaux.

However, for some seasons, Nice likes Bordeaux. With this draw, the Azureens accumulate 10 matches without defeat (6 wins and 4 draws) against the Girondins.

But this series is a trompe-l'oeil. Because the Bordelais have dominated a good part of this opposition and it is they who do the right thing.

This season, Laurent Koscielny and his partners are very successful far from home. They took, at the Allianz Riviera, their 11th point out of 19 in total.

Despite the return in the initial eleven red and black of three recruits stamped "Ineos" (Nsoki, Dolberg, Ounas), the Girondins have not trembled.

Even after opening the score of Pierre Lees-Melou head after a good overflow of Youcef Atal (1-1, 27th), even after Kasper Dolberg had the ball 2-0 (29th) , they stayed on their game principles.

At the break, Bordeaux could pretend to better. The end of the first half was totally to the advantage of Paulo Sousa's men.

Without two consecutive and very high-level saves by Walter Benitez, on a curling shot by Aurélien Tchouaméni (39) and a point blank shot by Jimmy Briand (40), the Gym would not have led to the break.

But Bordeaux, his 62% possession and 90% of successful passes, had the hand on the meeting. Patrick Vieira felt it well. And at the break, he reorganized his team, exiting striker Ignatius Ganago to bring in a defenseman, Patrick Burner.

Youcef Atal went from right to left midfielder. In front of the former Parisian Stanley Nsoki, 20 years old, often impressive in the duels but sometimes in lack of concentration.

And it is on this side that Bordeaux concentrated his offensives. This did not fail. In the surface, François Kamano and his technique have made the fault to Nsoki, too committed to his intervention (47th).

Crossing the ball with his right foot, Briand equalized logically and at the same time scored the 96th goal in L1 of his career (1-1, 50th).

This equalizer had the gift of waking up the Gym. The People's Grandstand South, so vindictive towards his family in the victory against Reims (2-0) last Sunday, was in unison and pushed his team.

But Benoît Costil brilliantly interposed on the only real Nice opportunity, signed Myziane Maolida (81st). And Bordeaux thus offers a temporary podium.

© 2019 AFP