The final whistle blew and the team in blue celebrated like they had just won an impressive three points against the league champions. It wasn’t a win but a significant draw for a team that has shown throughout this season that they are one to watch: FC Girondins de Bordeaux Féminines had just held the vaunted Olympique Lyonnais Féminin side to a goalless draw and they were well worth that point.

OL started slow, and that slowness helped the hosts who had a tactical plan in place that would prove to be significant as the game wore on. As OL probed for an opening against a well- organised Bordeaux defense, their attacks were limited due to the number of bodies the home side committed in their defending. The closest OL came to troubling Romane Bruneau in Bordeaux’s goal was in the 39th minute but the goalkeeper was up to the task and parried away Nikita Parris’ effort. The second half saw OL try to pick up the pace more and open up a resilient Bordeaux backline and when they did so, Bruneau was there to keep the ball out of the net. Bruneau denied Parris again, Ada Hegerberg three times and kept those in front of her focused throughout the entire match. When asked about her performance, Bruneau was quick to shift the focus on to her teammates but no one can deny that her convincing performance in goal had helped her team to a fantastic draw against OL.

Bruneau is right to point out her teammates as Bordeaux have been fantastic for most of the season. They have nine wins this season and sit third in the table, four points off of second. Asseyi and Khadija “Bunny” Shaw have been in fine form, netting 12 and 11 goals respectively so far, and Bordeaux backline has only conceded 12 goals. In that run of form that sees them sit in third, FCGB have put three past Montpellier HSC Féminines and Paris FC. They have not only won games but won them in style with Asseyi and Shaw leading the way. Pedro Martínez Losa has shown with Arsenal W.F.C. that not only is adept at finding talent but he can also lead teams to cup wins. Bordeaux finished last 24 points off a continental place but at the rate their going, do not be surprised to see them finish much, much closer than that this season. Losa has imprinted his style of play on this team and brought in the right players to implement his tactics. Sunday’s draw against OL showed just how far this Bordeaux side has come and how much potential it still has to reach.

Speaking of Bordeaux’s frontline, Asseyi and Ouleymata Sarr came closest for the hosts against OL but could not keep their shots on target. It didn’t matter in the end as Bordeaux held on and handed OL their second draw this season. FCGB still have to play Paris Saint-Germain Féminine at home and it wouldn’t surprise me to see them pick up a result against them too. They may not be involved in the title race but Bordeaux are currently playing the role of spoiler to a tee.

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