Bordeaux thrash Vannes to seal League Cup crown

A clinical first-half showing from title-chasing Bordeaux inspired them to a 4-0 victory over underdogs Vannes in the French League Cup final at the Stade de France here on Saturday.

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.

Yoann 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, only founded in 1998, brought 40,000 fans with them from the north-western Brittany region, but 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 Gourcuff.

Gourcuff’s dead-ball deliveries were causing Vannes acute discomfort, and on 40 minutes he exchanged passes with Gouffran before seeing a placed shot deflected past Revel into the bottom-right corner.

Revel saved well from first Abdou Traore and then David Bellion to deny Bordeaux a fifth mid-way through the second half, as Vannes’s magnificently vocal supporters lauded their team for their increased effort after the interval.

With Laurent Blanc’s Bordeaux currently second behind league leaders 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.