Roma top group as Bordeaux settle for UEFA Cup

AS Roma secured top spot in Champions League group A with a 2-0 victory over a less than vintage Bordeaux at the Stadio Olimpico here on Tuesday.

Goals from Matteo Brighi and Francesco Totti ensured Roma beat Chelsea to first place in the pool and they will play a group runner-up in the second round next year.

The French team will have to settle for a place in the UEFA Cup as consolation after failing to put their hosts under any serious pressure throughout a largely dull match.

For Roma it capped a remarkable turnaround since losing their opening game of the group at home to Romanian debutants CFR Cluj.

Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc had said before the match that his side would not be taking too many risks and would look to keep the score at 0-0 for as long as possible.

Sadly his players took him at face value in a highly forgettable first 45 minutes.

Only Roma's Brazilian forward Julio Baptista seemed interested in breaking the deadlock, shooting straight at Ulrich Rame on three minutes.

On eight minutes he fired a free-kick over the bar and on 18 minutes he curled a shot from distance also over the top.

Bordeaux's only chance came on 22 minutes when on-loan AC Milan midfielder Yoann Gourcuff crossed into the box for Marouane Chamakh whose header was well saved by Brazilian goalkeeper Doni, only for the linesman to wrongly give offside.

Bordeaux, who needed to win, started the second period with a little more purpose and on 52 minutes Chamakh shot wide from just inside area.

Shortly afterwards Fernando Menegazzo released Gourcuff with a brilliant ball over the top but Philippe Mexes did fantastically well to chase back and clear just before Gourcuff could shoot.

But then Roma took the lead on 61 minutes after Bordeaux's defence went missing.

Julio Baptista played Simone Perrotta in behind the backline and he pulled the ball back for the unmarked Brighi to slot home with Bordeaux's defence completely at sixes and sevens.

Blanc reacted by throwing on three attacking players, including former Manchester United forward David Bellion, who played alongside Blanc at Old Trafford a few years back.

Still they struggled to create much but on 76 minutes Gourcuff did force Doni into a save low to his left.

But only three minutes later, Roma clinched the victory they just about deserved as Frenchman Jeremy Menez released Totti to fire home under Rame's body.

Soon after that Bellion had a great chance to pull a goal back but he volleyed wildly over from inside the box.