Ligue 1: Bordeaux beat Saint-Etienne

New Bordeaux coach Jocelyn Gourvennec saw his side hold off a late Saint-Etienne fightback to win a thrilling encounter 3-2 on the opening weekend of the French Ligue 1 season.

Gaetan Laborde, Uruguayan international Diego Rolan and Brazilian youngster Malcom all netted for the hosts at the Matmut Atlantique but they were made to sweat as Romain Hamouma and Alexander Soderlund both scored late goals for the visitors.

Saturday’s game was the competitive bow for Gourvennec, appointed as Bordeaux’s new coach to end a successful six-year stint in charge of unfashionable Brittany side Guingamp.

There was no place for either of his marquee summer signings in the starting line-up, with former Monaco midfielder Jeremy Toulalan suspended and forward Jeremy Menez only on the bench.

However, young forward Laborde, who has spent most of the last two seasons on loan in the second tier, opened the scoring 13 minutes in when he got in front of Loic Perrin to head in a free-kick.

Saint-Etienne goalkeeper Stephane Ruffier kept the visitors in the game with a fine save from Malcom before Nicolas Pallois had a header cleared off the line as it remained 1-0 at the …

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