Ludovic Ajorque’s first-half strike was enough for RC Strasbourg Alsace to claim a surprise 1-0 win away to Paulo Sousa’s Girondins de Bordeaux on Sunday.
Girondins de Bordeaux 0 – 1 RC Strasbourg Alsace 
THE MATCH
The only goal of this game at the Matmut Atlantique arrived in the 11th minute courtesy of Ajorque. The giant striker, standing 1.97m tall, got his head to a Kenny Lala corner delivered from the right, and the ball then broke back to him to score with a prodded finish from close range for his sixth Ligue 1 Conforama goal of the campaign.
Strasbourg then set about frustrating the home side as they executed their game plan perfectly to claim just a second away win of the season. Their three-man central defence was outstanding and left Josh Maja with no room and no opportunity to repeat the kind of heroics he showed in Bordeaux’s last home game, when he netted a hat-trick in a 6-0 demolition of Nîmes Olympique.
Matz Sels saved from the always lively Nicolas De Préville in the 14th minute, and later saved from a Laurent Koscielny header as the interval approached (44′). It was the same story after the break as Sels clutched a Loris Benito header from another De Préville free-kick (55′). Meanwhile, substitute Jimmy Briand somehow contrived to miss an open goal late on after Samuel Kalu had done superbly to create the chance for the veteran striker (81′).
It is a second successive defeat for Sousa’s side, and one that damages their hopes of challenging for European qualification. They are now just two points better off than Strasbourg in a packed mid-table.
THE PLAYER: Ludovic Ajorque
The striker is always a menace thanks to his giant frame. He is in good form too, his goal here his sixth of the season in the league but also his fourth in the last six matches. With Lebo Mothiba absent due to injury, Thierry Laurey’s side needed a decisive contribution from their front man and Ajorque gave them that.
THE STAT: 3
Strasbourg have now won on each of their three visits to Bordeaux since returning to the top flight in 2017, and all of them have come without conceding a goal. They won 3-0 at the Matmut Atlantique in December 2017 and also triumphed 2-0 here on the opening day of last season.
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