Bordeaux recovered from a disastrous start to claim a hard-fought point away to Saint-Etienne on Saturday.

Fresh from a 2-0 reverse at home to Paris Saint-Germain, Bordeaux will have been asking themselves some serious questions when Herita Ilunga headed Saint-Etienne ahead inside the first minute. Ilunga was on hand to head home a corner after a bad mistake from Bordeaux goalkeeper Ulrich Ramé.

But Bordeaux slowly came back into proceedings and gained the upper hand in the second half. Denilson set up Edixon Perea for the visitors’ first clear chance just shy of the hour mark but the Colombian saw his shot pushed out by Jérémie Janot.

But they duly levelled matters 15 minutes from time. Zoumana Camara’s poor clearance fell nicely for Julien Faubert who rifled a shot home from the edge of the penalty area.

The game almost finished as it had started: Ramé lost the ball in the air, allowing Bafetimbi Gomis to head towards an empty net, but this time Bordeaux defender Franck Jurietti was on hand to clear off the line.

There was still time for Jean-Claude Darcheville to be shown a red card after his dreadful challenge on Vincent Hognon.

St Etienne: Janot; Diawara, Hognon, Camara, Ilunga; Feindouno, Sablé, Zokora, Hellebuyck; Mazure (Mendy 43), Piquionne (Gomis 73)

Bordeaux: Ramé; Jemmali, Afanou, Planus, Jurietti; Faubert (Alonso 80), Mavuba, Fernando, Smicer (Denilson 46); Darcheville, Perea Valencia, (Laslandes 65).

Ref: Layec