BORDEAUX: Cengiz Under’s first-half strike earned Olympique de Marseille their first league away win in 44 years against Covid-hit Bordeaux on Friday, as a 1-0 victory sent the visitors second in Ligue 1.

The Turkey international pounced on a poor goal kick from Bordeaux captain Benoit Costil to fire home after 37 minutes, ending a 36-match unbeaten run for the hosts in this fixture, stretching back to October 1977.

The result left Jorge Sampaoli’s team second with 36 points, 10 behind runaway leaders Paris St Germain.

“We are indeed very satisfied to end this long run,” said Sampaoli. “It’s a great success so congratulations to the players. It was well-known and we were made to understand it everywhere we went.”

The home side were decimated by an outbreak of the novel coronavirus, with 17 first-team members unavailable for Covid-related reasons, but their request earlier in the week to postpone the fixture fell on deaf ears.

In-form Marseille were soon on top at the Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, which was left empty after the home side decided to close doors following their postponement request and with infections on the rise.

Duje Caleta-Car stabbed a shot off the post from close range early on and Marseille’s pressure eventually told when Under found the bottom corner following Costil’s error.

The goalkeeper made amends for his mistake after the break by producing sharp saves to deny Caleta-Car, Matteo Guendouzi and Under, but the hosts could not find an equaliser.

Bordeaux remain 17th with 17 points, just one point above the relegation play-off place.

Published in Dawn, January 9th, 2022