Newcastle United travelled to the Stade Chaban-Delmas on Thursday evening to face Bordeaux in the Europa League.
Both sides had already qualified for the knockout stages, but the match would decide who finished top of Group D.
The Magpies required three points to win the group, while a draw was all that was needed for the hosts.
Newcastle won the corresponding fixture 3-0 in October.
Find out how the action panned out below with Sports Mole's blow-by-blow text commentary.
Bordeaux starting XI: Kevin Olimpa; Mathieu Chalme, Florian Marange, Marc Planus, Maxime Poundje; Fahid Benkhalfallah, Cheick Diabate, Andre Biyogo Poko, Gregory Sertic; David Bellion, Henri Saivet
Bordeaux subs: Abdoulaye Keita, Ludovic Sane, Landry N'Guemo, Hadi Sacko, Nicolas Maurice-Belay
Newcastle starting XI: Robert Elliot; Mike Williamson, James Perch, Shane Ferguson, James Tavernier; Gael Bigirimana, Sylvain Marveaux, Mehdi Abeid; Shola Ameobi, Sammy Ameobi, Nile Ranger
Newcastle subs: Tim Krul, Fabricio Coloccini, Danny Simpson, Vurnon Anita, Romain Amalfitano, Papiss Demba Cisse, Adam Campbell
Both managers have rested a host of key players. Bordeaux boss Francis Gillot, who has only named five substitutes, has left Cedric Carrasso, Abdou Traore, Ludovik Obraniak, Jussie, Benoit Tremoulinas, Yoan Gouffran, Jaroslav Plasil and Henrique out of his squad entirely.
Meanwhile, just Mike Williamson and Sylvain Marveaux keep their place in the Magpies' starting XI following Monday's morale-boosting win over Wigan Athletic.
Nile Ranger, who is one of three strikers named in Alan Pardew's team, will make his first start for the club since April 2010.
Bordeaux have won five of their last seven matches in all competitions, while the Toon's victory over Wigan was their first in eight games.
Newcastle's preparations for the match have been far from ideal. Their players and staff were left stranded on an airport runway yesterday for over three hours due to heavy snow in the North-East.
The players, the vast majority of whom are understandably sporting gloves, are on the pitch.
At first glance, it looks as though tonight's attendance will fall well below capacity. However, to Newcastle's credit, the away end is packed full of 1,200 rowdy Geordies.
The hosts get the match underway.
Chalme's attempted cross is deflected behind off Sammi Ameobi for the game's first corner.
Bordeaux go close! From the corner, Diabate is allowed to control the ball eight yards from goal. He fires a powerful effort on target, which Elliot does brilliantly to tip behind for another corner.
The second corner is poor and comes to nothing.
Ranger holds off the challenge of Poundje, before playing the ball off the Bordeaux defender for a corner to Newcastle.
Marveaux's inswinger is caught by the goalkeeper, who was fouled in the air by Ranger. Free kick to the hosts.
Benkhalfallah lets fly from 25 yards, but Elliot palms the ball away to safety.
Marveaux shoots from the edge of the Bordeaux area, but slices his effort well wide.
Double chance for Bordeaux! Saivet dances into the Newcastle six-yard box and shoots low across goal. Elliot gets down well to tip the ball away, but the rebound falls to Bellion, whose effort is weak and easily gathered by the Newcastle stopper.
There is a lull in the game, as both sides seem to be struggling to pass the ball on this bumpy surface.
GOAL! Bordeaux 1-0 Newcastle United (Diabate)
Bellion does well in the left channel before pulling the ball back to Benkhalfallah, who swings in a cross to the far post, where Diabate rises above Perch to nod home.
Bordeaux are well on top and thoroughly deserve their lead, while Newcastle's attacking play is very laboured. The Magpies lack creativity.
Bellion fizzes in a cross from the right, which skids off the head of Diabate and goes behind for a goal kick.
Israeli referee Menashe Masiah goes to his notebook for the first time this evening and pulls out a yellow card for Williamson. The Newcastle defender's booking is for an off-the-ball push on Bellion.
HALF-TIME: Bordeaux 1-0 Newcastle United
Well, that was a rather uneventful half. Bordeaux have been far from outstanding, but they are good value for their lead.
The hosts have recorded seven shots, four of which have been on target. Meanwhile, Marveaux's poor long-range effort was Newcastle's only attempt of the opening 45 minutes.
Both sides have had two corners and Bordeaux have dominated possession with 61%.
Newcastle make one substitution ahead of the second half. Sammy Ameobi is replaced by Anita, meaning that the visitors will switch to a 4-4-2 formation.
Newcastle kick off and get the second period underway.
Chance for Newcastle! Bigirimana, who is now playing as a winger on the right flank, finds Shola Ameobi in the six-yard box. Ameobi fires low with his left foot, but Olimpa makes a good save.
Abeid shoots just wide from 25 yards. Newcastle have started the second half much better than they ended the first.
Bordeaux hit the woodwork! The hosts pass the ball about stylising before it finds its way to Sertic, whose low fizzing drive from long range clips the outside of the post on its way wide.
The Newcastle fans express their approval as Coloccini and Cisse warm up along the touchline.
Marveaux chips at goal from just inside the area, but his effort is poorly judged and Olimpa catches with ease.
Tavernier is shown a yellow card for a late lunge on Saivet.
GOAL! Bordeaux 2-0 Newcastle United (Diabate)
Poko's lofted pass sends Diabate clean through on goal. The Mali international takes a good first touch before sliding the ball through the legs of Elliot. Game over.
Substitution for Newcastle. Coloccini replaces Williamson. With the game seemingly over and practically meaningless, I am a little surprised that Pardew has decided to risk bringing his star man into the action. One can only assume that Williamson's yellow card played a part in his manager's decision.
Planus blocks Ranger's cross and Newcastle have a corner.
Bigirimana takes the corner kick from the left, but Diabate clears.
Pardew makes his final change of the night. Cisse comes on in place of Shola Ameobi.
Ranger shows great skill to turn away from his man, but he then wastes his good work by smashing high and wide from 15 yards.
Substitution for Bordeaux. Diabate receives a standing ovation as he makes way for Sacko.
Chance for Bordeaux! Benkhalfallah's close-range effort is deflected wide by Coloccini.
FULL-TIME: Bordeaux 2-0 Newcastle United
A very forgettable match comes to an end. Newcastle will be a little disappointed with their showing, however Pardew will be relieved that his team came through the game without adding to their injury list.
Their defeat means that Newcastle finish as group runners-up and will not be seeded in the draw for the next round.
That concludes Sports Mole's live coverage of this one. See you all again soon.
Written by
Robert Summerscales
Robert Summerscales
