Bordeaux played host to Saint-Etienne at the Stade Chaban-Delmas in Ligue 1 this afternoon.
Both sides had been on a decent run of form as of late and harbour ambitions of obtaining a European spot this season.
In a match dominated by poor playing conditions, it was Bordeaux who emerged victorious.
Read how the match unfolded in our live commentary below.
3.32pmWelcome back to Sports Mole's live coverage of Ligue 1 action.
3.35pmI say welcome back, because we had full coverage earlier this afternoon of Lyon's win over Evian TG, but now our attention turns to the Stade Chaban-Delmas, where Bordeaux plays hosts to Saint-Etienne.
3.36pmThis is a big match for both these sides, featuring two teams that hold the target of finishing in the European spots this season. Both have proved inconsistent in parts this year, but both are more than capable of earning a place in the top four.
3.38pmBordeaux can climb up to sixth, right in among the mix, with a victory today, while a Saint-Etienne win would see Les Verts stay fourth but move to within three points of third-placed Lille. Both those scenarios come ahead of Marseille's trip to AS Monaco later, but the race for Europe is really hotting up, with Lyon, Nantes, Reims and Lorient among the other contenders.
3.39pmThis match nearly didn't go ahead as planned, but a pitch inspection this morning resulted in the go ahead for this match, with the rain holding off.
3.40pmRight, let's bring you some team news.
3.42pmBORDEAUX XI: Carrasso, Henrique, Mariano, Orban, Sane, Nguemo, Sertic, Traore, Maurice-Belay, Rolan, Saivet
3.44pmManager Francis Gillot makes two changes to the Bordeaux team that was embarrassingly knocked out of the Coupe de France by minnows FA Ile Rousse Monticello in midweek.
3.45pmLandry Nguemo and Abdou Traore have both been handed a spot in the starting lineup, with Julien Faubert and Andre Biyogo Poko being dropped.
3.45pmHere is what Gillot has in reserve.
3.46pmBORDEAUX BENCH: Jug, Brechet, Chalme, Poundje, Ben Khalfallah, Biyogo Poko, Crivelli
3.48pmSo that's the Bordeaux squad, let's take a look at what Saint-Etienne have to offer.
3.48pmSAINT-ETIENNE XI: Ruffier, Brison, Clerc, Perrin, Sall, Clement, Cohade, Hamouma, Lemoine, Tabanou, Brandao
3.50pmChristophe Galtier, the manager, makes just one alteration to the Saint-Etienne side that beat Lille 2-0 last weekend.
3.51pmFaouzi Ghoulam drops to the bench today, with Francois Clerc replacing him. Other than that, Les Verts are unchanged.
3.51pmLet's take a look at the rest of the Saint-Etienne substitutes.
3.52pmSAINT-ETIENNE BENCH: Moulin, Ghoulam, Pogba, Corgnet, Mollo, Erding, Gradel
3.52pmSo those are your two teams for today. Kick is just minutes away.
3.57pmThe teams are making their way out at the Stade Chaban-Delmas.
3.58pmBordeaux are in their all-navy home kit, Saint-Etienne wearing their first strip of green shirts, white shorts and green socks, while all the officials are dressed from top to toe in yellow.
1 minKICKOFF! Bordeaux, playing from right to left, get the game started.
2 minIt's very soggy and wet at the Stade Chaban-Delmas. It will be interesting to see how much of an effect the rain will have on the match.
2 minSaint-Etienne survive an early goalmouth scramble, and can hack the ball away. Anywhere will do for them.
3 minBordeaux have made the better start to this game, and Saint-Etienne have been forced to defend early. The hosts have a corner, but can't work Ruffier enough.
5 minWhile the form book points towards a Saint-Etienne win today, they have only won three of their last 30 trips here, losing 19 of them. History favours Bordeaux.
7 minSaint-Etienne have started to get a bit more of the ball now after weathering an early Bordeaux storm. Both sides are trying to pass the ball around, but the conditions can't be making it easy.
9 minYou wouldn't complete rule out, given the boggy pitch, the away side looking to hoof the ball forward for the big Brazilian Brandao to contend with.
10 minCHANCE! Tabanou, from 30 yards out and central, gets a decent strike on the ball from a free kick as he goes for goal, but the effort was always rising and sails over. Bordeaux had just a one-man wall there, which was a little odd.
13 minThe game's gone a bit scrappy now, but it's not really a surprise given the state of the pitch.
14 minBordeaux win a free kick out on the right touchline, and it looks as if they are going to pump this one into the visitor's box.
15 minCHANCE! Sertic puts in a wonderful delivery that bounces on the edge of the six-yard box and it just begging to be touched into the back of the net. Saint-Etienne somehow scramble it behind for a corner.
17 minSaint-Etienne survive a succession of corners, with Sall in particular defending very well.
20 minBordeaux are again on top once more, but yet to overly test Ruffier.
22 minMaurice-Belay goes on a good run down the left and makes his way into the box. He dinks a lovely cross to the far post, but Rolan doesn't reach it in time. He should be making more of an effort there.
25 minNot a lot to report over the past few minutes, Bordeaux are still edging it. Saint-Etienne have offered nothing so far.
28 minPlayers and slipping and sliding all over the place on this pitch. Brison and Brandao are two of the latest victims of the pitch.
31 minThe rain really is pouring down now. You've got to think that, had this downpour come earlier, the match would be off.
33 minBordeaux seem to be relying on launching crosses into the box, which isn't the worst tactic in the world in this weather, but they haven't troubled Ruffier so far.
36 minWorrying scenes for Bordeaux as Traore goes down clutching his ankle following a challenge from Lemoine. He's receiving treatment at the moment.
37 minTraore is back up for Bordeaux, but does appear to be limping. Gillot will be hoping that his man can run this one off.
38 minCHANCE! This is a really difficult opportunity from Sall. The ball falls from the sky to him on the edge of the box, and he slices his volley towards the top right corner but can't keep it down.
39 minCohade curls a teasing free kick from the left into the box, but Sane slides in to clear the danger with an important interception.
40 minGOAL! Bordeaux 1-0 Saint-Etienne (Abdou Traore)
40 minBreakthrough at the Stade Chaban-Delmas, and it's Abdou Traore with his first goal in over two and a half years. Sall is guilty of some woeful defending at the back post, as he allows Traore to control the ball and move past him. But what follows is a thunderous finish from Traore, who slams it into the near top corner from close range.
41 minOn the balance of play, that's probably deserved for the hosts.
45 minHALF TIME: Bordeaux 1-0 Saint-Etienne
4.49pmIt's been far from a beautiful game here, but you can't really blame the two teams due to the conditions. Everyone races off to get dry.
4.50pmBordeaux won't care too much though, because they lead this match thanks to Traore's goal. Saint-Etienne need to offer more.
5.06pmThe teams are back out at the Stade Chaban-Delmas.
46 minKICKOFF! Saint-Etienne, playing from left to right, get the second half up and running.
49 minQuiet start to the half so far. The rain is still pouring.
51 minGOAL! Bordeaux 2-0 Saint-Etienne (Carlos Henrique)
51 minCommanding position for Bordeaux now as Henrique sweeps them into a 2-0 lead from close range. Maurice-Belay's shot from just inside the box comes back off the post from a corner, but Henrique is on hand to smash the ball home on the rebound.
52 minIt's going to take a lot for Saint-Etienne to get anything from this match now. It's been a miserable afternoon for them so far.
55 minBrilliant defending from Sall, who makes a really important interception as Saivet's cross from the right was flicked on by Rolan.
56 minSAINT-ETIENNE CHANGE: Attacking change by Les Verts, as Clement is replaced by Mevlut Erding.
60 minBordeaux are given a free kick in a very promising position. Just outside the box slightly left of centre.
61 minCLOSE! Sertic steps up and curls it over the wall but just wide of the near post. Ruffier stood motionless, but that was not far away at all.
64 minThe game has gone a bit quiet since the second goal. Bordeaux are firmly in control, while Saint-Etienne look as if they have almost accepted defeat already.
66 minSAINT-ETIENNE CHANGE: Mollo on for Hamouma.
67 minYELLOW CARD: Cohade, who has been creeping closer and closer to a booking, finally goes into the referee's notebook for a foul on Sertic.
68 minGood free kick position for Bordeaux here, 25 yards out, a touch to the left of centre.
68 minSaivet hits the free kick into the wall and then has the final touch as the ball goes out for a goal kick.
70 minSaint-Etienne are working the ball to the final third better now, but just don't seem to have that cutting edge when they get there.
75 minBORDEAUX CHANGE: Rolan makes way for Biyogo Poko.
77 minBordeaux now have four central midfielders on the pitch. Gillot keen for them to just keep hold of the ball.
79 minYELLOW CARD: Clerc goes into the book for a poor challenge on Orban.
80 minSAINT-ETIENNE CHANGE: Corgnet is on for Tabanou.
81 minMore frustration for Saint-Etienne, who have the ball in the back of the net but it's ruled out for offside. Lemoine gets the ball at the far post from an early cross before cutting inside on his left and firing the ball into the back of the net. He was in an offside position when he first received the ball, but the final touch before he got it was off a Bordeaux man. Controversial.
82 minYELLOW CARD: Another booking for Saint-Etienne, this time Corgnet is penalised for chopping down Orban.
83 minBORDEAUX CHANGE: Crivelli is on for Traore, who scored the game's opener.
85 minSaint-Etienne are still plugging away, but time looks to be against them.
87 minSAVE! Saint-Etienne loft a cross in from the right which is won (by Brandao I think) at the front post. He powerfully nods it towards the bottom corner, but Carrasco dives to his left to push it away.
88 minThe visitors see a goalmouth scramble from a corner end with Carrasco diving on the ball. Saint-Etienne could have done with showing this urgency earlier in the game.
90 minYELLOW CARD: Brison picks up a booking for a tackled that simply screamed of frustration.
90 minThere will be four minutes of added time.
90+1 minBORDEAUX CHANGE: Final alteration for the hosts as Maurice-Belay is brought off for Brechet.
90+4 minFULL TIME: Bordeaux 2-0 Saint-Etienne
5.59pmWell that's that. Bordeaux move closer to the European spots thanks to goals from Traore and Henrique, while Saint-Etienne's miserable record at the Stade Chaban-Delmas continues.
5.59pmThat's all from me. Have a good one.
