Saint-Etienne (AFP)

A double from the South Korean Ui-Jo Hwang allowed Bordeaux to win its first victory of the season (2-1), Saturday on the ground of Saint-Etienne, at the end of a match between the last two of the standings Ligue 1 at kick-off.

This Girondin success, which hung by a thread, that of a final opportunity of Harold Moukoudi and a ball pushed back to the line by Timothée Pembélé in added time (90 + 1), is added to two zero results already obtained, for three defeats.

It allows the Bordelais, who could not keep a point at the very end of the match against Lens on September 12 (3-2), to leap forward and move to 14th place (5 points).

For their part, the Greens, who are on a series of three defeats in a row, remain stuck at the bottom of the table, in 19th rank (3 points) after this meeting of the 6th day of L1.

And they necessarily continue to worry.

Of course, the goodwill is obvious but the whole is really limited, especially in the offensive field despite some more or less threatening actions from Denis Bouanga, Yvan Neyou, Romain Hamouma and especially Khazri who failed to equalize at 1-1 in front. Benoît Costil at the 67th.

Stéphanois Romain Hamouma facing Benoît Costil, during the meeting between Saint-Etienne and Bordeaux on Saturday September 18 in Saint-Etienne (Stade Geoffroy-Guichard) on the occasion of the 6th day of Ligue 1 JEAN-PHILIPPE KSIAZEK AFP

Their dominance in the first half and the pressure they exerted late in the game to try to equalize at 2-2 were often messy.

Before tackling a very difficult program with a trip to Monaco followed by receptions from Nice and Lyon, they are part with Metz (20th and last) and Brest (18th) which plays Sunday in Clermont, of the only three teams in the championship, separated to the difference of goals, remaining unsuccessful.

- Hwang, constant danger -

On the Bordeaux side, Ui-Jo Hwang quickly found the opening at the start of the game, on the Girondins' first opportunity, slipping into the empty goal a pass from Yacine Adli who had fixed goalkeeper Etienne Green (7).

While Whabi Khazri had equalized despite a tight angle (73), Hwang, benefiting from a bad defensive dismissal from Harold Moukoudi and a service from Rémi Oudin, gave the advantage to the Girondins by deceiving Etienne Green, also in a restricted angle (80).

Stéphane midfielder Wahbi Khazri (left) during the meeting between Saint-Etienne and Bordeaux on Saturday September 18 in Saint-Etienne (1-2) as part of the 6th day of Ligue 1 JEAN-PHILIPPE KSIAZEK AFP

The South Korean, who had not achieved a double in Ligue 1 since March 14, could even have achieved a hat-trick if he had not missed the reception of a center from Pembélé at the end of the game (88) .

Apart from his two goals, Hwang had previously been a constant danger for the Stéphanois.

He could also have scored on a recovery of the head (34) before being caught in extremis on a return from Neyou (45 + 1) or even on an attempt diverted by Etienne Green (53) while the second period was played under a deluge of rain and on a waterlogged lawn.

This is perhaps why the South Korean still missed the reception of a center from Pembélé (65) before an attempt by Rémi Oudin grazed the frame (69).

© 2021 AFP