Bordeaux kept their promotion hopes alive with a narrow 1-0 victory over Les Herbiers at the Stade Atlantique on Saturday, but they still trail league leaders La Roche-sur-Yon by a single point heading into the final matchday of the National 2 season. The win, secured by a Royce Openda penalty in the 63rd minute, was witnessed by a record crowd of 27,000 supporters, the largest ever for a French fourth-division match.
The Girondins struggled in the first half but improved significantly after the break, increasing the tempo and providing better support for striker Matthieu Gillette. Goalkeeper Bastien Rempp of Les Herbiers made three excellent saves to keep his team in the game, and a controversial offside call denied the visitors a potential equalizer in the 53rd minute when a counter-attack goal was ruled out.
Meanwhile, La Roche-sur-Yon cruised to a 4-1 win over Chauray, maintaining their one-point advantage. Bordeaux must now travel to Avranches next Saturday at 18:00 for the season finale, needing to better La Roche's result to claim the sole promotion spot to the Championnat de National. If the two teams finish level on points, Bordeaux would win promotion due to their superior head-to-head record.
Coach Rio Mavuba, who took over in January and has revitalized the team with five wins in six matches, commented after the game: "Il peut encore se passer beaucoup de choses" ("A lot can still happen"). The Bordeaux faithful remain on edge as their team, which dominated early in the season before a slump, now faces a tense finale.
Adding to the drama, La Roche-sur-Yon president Christophe Chabot made a bold prediction earlier this week, stating his belief that his club will "bathe in the tears of the Bordelais on the final night." The stage is set for a decisive showdown, with Bordeaux needing a win and favorable results elsewhere to secure promotion.
Based on reporting from Foot - actualités, mercato, info & vidéo en continu.