17 September 2002 - Bordeaux's Beautiful Symmetry

On 17 September 2002, Bordeaux won by a record margin, beating Slovakian club ŠK Matador Púchov by the score of 6-0.

The teams met at the Stade Chaban-Delmas for the opening leg of their UEFA Cup first-round match-up. Playing before a crowd of 12,700, it took the hosts a while to take the lead with the day's first score coming from center back David Sommeil in the 23rd minute, but the goals flowed regularly after that. A 36th-minute strike from forward Christophe Dugarry extended the lead to 2-0 and his second-half replacement winger Pascal Feindouno, pushed it to 3-0 in the 61st minute.

Pauleta (pictured), Ligue 1's top goalscorer the previous season, contributed a 68th-minute penalty kick, followed by a Matador own-goal from Pavol Vavrik ten minutes later. Finally, striker Jean-Claude Darcheville found the net in the 89th minute to complete the 6-0 rout.

Matador did slightly better in the second leg, losing 1-4, then returned to the competition the following season, drawing 1-1 at home with Barcelona before losing the second leg 8-0. Bordeaux, meanwhile, advanced to the third round of the 2002-03 tournament where they lost to Anderlecht.

The 6-0 scoreline remains Bordeaux's record win, matched in the reverse by their record loss, a 6-0 defeat to Parma in 1999 (also in the UEFA Cup).

11 May 2002 - Lorient Finishes On A High Note

On 11 May 2002, Lorient won their first major honor despite finishing dead last in the league. And they celebrated it with an unexpected guest.

The Ligue 1 season ended one week earlier with Lorient at the bottom of the table, having managed only seven wins and ten draws on the year. But they fared better in tournament play, finishing as runners-up to Bordeaux in the Coupe de la Ligue, then reaching the Coupe de France Final where they faced fellow league strugglers Bastia.

Bastia had gotten the better of Lorient in the league, with a win and a draw in their two meetings. But in the final, played before a crowd of 60,000 at the Stade de France, it was Lorient who claimed the advantage with a goal from captain Jean-Claude Darcheville. In the 47th minute, the forward beat Bastia defender Christophe Deguerville to a long ball, then chipped keeper Ali Boumnijel for the day's first and only goal.

During the post-game celebration, prankster Rémi Gaillard, wearing a replica Lorient shirt, made his way onto the pitch and proceeded to join in their celebrations. The players failed to recognize him as an intruder as he proceeded to have his photo taken with them and the cup, and even lined up with the team to shake hands with French President Jacques Chirac.

Lorient spent four seasons in Ligue 2 before returning to the top flight in 2006.

17 September 2002 - Bordeaux's Beautiful Symmetry

On 17 September 2002, Bordeaux won by a record margin, beating Slovakian club ŠK Matador Púchov by the score of 6-0.

The teams met at the Stade Chaban-Delmas for the opening leg of their UEFA Cup first-round match-up. Playing before a crowd of 12,700, it took the hosts a while to take the lead with the day's first score coming from center back David Sommeil in the 23rd minute, but the goals flowed regularly after that. A 36th-minute strike from forward Christophe Dugarry extended the lead to 2-0 and his second-half replacement winger Pascal Feindouno, pushed it to 3-0 in the 61st minute.

Pauleta (pictured), Ligue 1's top goalscorer the previous season, contributed a 68th-minute penalty kick, followed by a Matador own-goal from Pavol Vavrik ten minutes later. Finally, striker Jean-Claude Darcheville found the net in the 89th minute to complete the 6-0 rout.

Matador did slightly better in the second leg, losing 1-4, then returned to the competition the following season, drawing 1-1 at home with Barcelona before losing the second leg 8-0. Bordeaux, meanwhile, advanced to the third round of the 2002-03 tournament where they lost to Anderlecht.

The 6-0 scoreline remains Bordeaux's record win, matched in the reverse by their record loss, a 6-0 defeat to Parma in 1999 (also in the UEFA Cup).