What: Coupe de France final
Who: Evian vs Bordeaux
When: Friday, 31st May, 2013, at 20:00 UK Time
Where: Stade de France, Paris, France
Evian On Track For Maiden Cup Win
A meeting between Evian and Bordeaux more typically takes place at the dining table, but the two Ligue 1 sides will meet for the second time in the space of a week at the Stade de France in the Coupe de France final. It has been a remarkable run to the final of the Coupe de France for Evian, a club from near the mountains in the east of France. Their first ever appearance in a Coupe de France final, it is also the first time any side from the Haute-Savoie region have made it this far.
The voyage to the final has been remarkable, with a crushing 4-0 win over Lorient in the last round belying their pre-match status as underdogs. But then they had got to the semi-finals with a victory on penalties against champions Paris Saint-Germain in the last eight.
It is strange to say the least that Evian have been so impressive in the cup whilst only just surviving in Ligue 1 this season, saving themselves in the final weeks of the campaign. But there was nothing fluky about their wins in the last two rounds, having matched PSG for long periods and then outplayed Lorient with a powerful performance last time around. Having risen through the French pyramid rapidly, winning three promotions between 2008 and 2011 to reach the top tier, this is the biggest game in Evian’s history as they stand 90 minutes away from unprecedented cup success.
Goal Shy Bordeaux Hope For Cup Redemption
There is an intriguing symmetry about the end of Bordeaux’s season. A fortnight ago they met Troyes in the cup before facing their vanquished opponents in the league days later. Their final match of the season saw them beat Evian, who they now face in the final. They will hope that the symmetry ends there, as they lost to Troyes in their league game.
It has been a frustrating season for Bordeaux, who started full of optimism after a superb finish to last season under Francois Gillot, but seventh place was not what they would have hoped for when this year began. European qualification was the goal, but they are now reliant on 90 minutes of football against Evian and the chance to win their fourth Coupe de France trophy.
Bordeaux have been something of a draw specialist in Ligue 1 this season. 16 of their matches have ended all square, although their run to the last 16 of the Europa League was encouraging. A lack of goals has been their problem all season though, with their top scorers being Cheick Diabate and Henry Saivet with eight goals, the same as Yoann Gouffran managed before leaving for Newcastle in January. Bordeaux have beaten Evian in both league meetings this season, but the Achilles heel in front of goal could wreck their hopes of victory in Paris.
Recent form
Evian:
Evian 4-0 Nice (12/05; Ligue 1)
Evian 2-0 Valenciennes (18/05; Ligue 1)
Bordeaux 2-1 Evian (26/05; Ligue 1)
Bordeaux:
Troyes 1-2 Bordeaux (14/05; Coupe de France)
Troyes 1-0 Bordeaux (18/05; Ligue 1)
Bordeaux 2-1 Evian (26/05; Ligue 1)
Key absences
Evian: Djakaridja Kone; Cedric Mongongu; Sidney Govou
Bordeaux: Evan Chevalier
Players to watch
Evian – Saber Khlifa: Khlifa has put himself in the shop window after a superb 2012/13 season, in which he has netted 13 goals in 25 games, doing more than anyone else to keep Evian in Ligue 1 for another year. Among the Tunisian’s suitors are Bordeaux and he will be keen to show them exactly why they would be wise to invest in his services this summer. Few of his contributions this season have been quite as spectacular as his remarkable lob from inside his own half against Nice earlier this month. That inspiration and his pace means Khlifa can always turn a game in an instant, and Bordeaux must be wary of him.
Bordeaux – Ludovic Obraniak: Much of the creativity in the Bordeaux team comes from Polish international Obraniak, who recently announced that he was putting his international career on hold due to a dispute with the national coach. Clever with the ball and with excellent delivery, he has a knack of scoring important goals and will be the key man in the final. He will be the schemer Bordeaux look to dictate play through and that could be key to controlling this final.
Match Prediction
Last week’s encounter between these sides ended in a deserved victory for Bordeaux, who picked off their opponents’ intelligently, with two Diabate goals helping them to the win. Diabate is in form and this game could come down to whether it is he or Khlifa who gets more chances.
The odds are that it will be Diabate getting the better service. Bordeaux tend to dominate possession and play through the middle, whilst Evian rely on a more direct style of play and are less composed on the ball. Bordeaux enjoyed plenty of possession in Evian’s half of the pitch last week and can expect to do so again here. However, they do lack a consistent finisher, and Gouffran remains their joint top scorer.
Evian can be more clinical than Bordeaux and it is telling that whilst the latter finished nine places higher than their opponents in the league, they scored fewer goals. Evian have struck 11 goals in their last four and their clinical nature should to some extent counter the fact that they will likely enjoy less of the ball, and so this game could well end up going into extra time and beyond. But Bordeaux can wear their opponents out with their patient and probing style to find a late winner. Evian 1-2 Bordeaux, after extra time.
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