Bordeaux took advantage of defeat for Auxerre to go second, despite their lacklustre 1-1 draw at home to Nantes in the Atlantic derby.

A poor pitch boded ill for the quality of the football on show, and so it proved as both sides found themselves obliged to operate long-ball approaches. It took 14 minutes for a first good chance to arrive, and when it did Jean-Claude Darcheville poked a shot just wide for Les Girondins.

Nantes were slightly overwhelmed in the opening stages, yet they still managed to create a danger when Nicolas Savinaud headed well wide of Ulrich Ramé's goal in a very threatening position. That sparked a period of more encouraging play from Les Canaris, but a breakthrough was not forthcoming and Bordeaux took the upper hand again soon after the restart.

Carlos Henrique had a volley deflected wide and the busy Darcheville kept the Nantes defence constantly occupied, but clear-cut chances were thin on the ground. Not even Aurélien Capou's late red card for a foul on Alejandro Alonso was enough to help Bordeaux make the difference, but they can at least content themselves with being second in the table going into the new year.

Bordeaux: Ramé (cap); Jemmali, Henrique, Planus, Jurietti; Br.Cheyrou, (Perea 85), Mavuba, Alonso, Smicer, (Francia 72); Chamakh, Darcheville (Laslandes 80)

Nantes: Landreau (cap); Leray, Cetto, Savinaud, Guillon; Capoue, Dimitrijevic, (El-Mourabet 92), Faé, Da Rocha; Bamogo (Payet 83), Diallo

Ref: Poulat