Bordeaux´s Wendel takes heart from League Cup win

Bordeeaux’s Brazilian striker Wendel says his club’s 4-0 League Cup win over underdogs Vannes at the Stade de France on Saturday augurs well for their assault on the league title.

Wendel, who suffered a knee injury, praised the way Bordeaux, second to Marseille in the French first division, had begun the game at the Stade de France.

“We were very concentrated right from the start, we killed off the game in the first 15 minutes, afterwards we tried to control affairs,” he said.

“This is another title, it’s good for our trophy sideboard, but we have to put this already behind us, there are very important matches coming up, starting with Rennes on Wednesday.

“We’ll celebrate, but only up to tomorrow night.

“If we continue like that – that’s the fifth consecutive match that we haven’t conceded any goals – if we put up a united front, if we show the same dynamism, the same determination, we’ll also be crowned league champions.”

Second-division Vannes had seen off top-flight opposition in the shape of Valenciennes, Auxerre and Nice en route to the final, but were blown away by a three-goal blitz from their opponents in the opening 12 minutes.

They were silenced in the third minute when Wendel chested down Diego Placente’s pass before coolly lobbing goalkeeper Christophe Revel from the corner of the penalty area.

Bordeaux quickly doubled their lead when centre-back Marc Planus took advantage of Revel’s untimely slip to clip home Wendel’s right-wing corner from close range.

The third goal followed in embarrassingly swift fashion, with Revel rooted to the spot as Yoann Gouffran headed home a vicious inswinging free-kick from on-loan AC Milan playmaker Yoann Gourcuff.

Gourcuff capped a fine display with a fourth before half-time to cap Bordeaux’s third triumph in the competition following their victories in 2002 and 2007.

Vannes’ Revel reflected: “We knew that we had to try not to conceded an early goal, we’d set up plans, had video sessions so that it wouldn’t happen.

“And then it was 4-0 at half-time, 3-0 after quarter of an hour. The match was over after that.”

With Laurent Blanc’s Bordeaux in second behind Marseille in Ligue 1, the UEFA Europa League qualifying-round berth usually awarded to the League Cup victors will go to the side that finishes fifth in the French top flight.