Saturday 23 August 2014 22:03, UK
Claude Makelele claimed his first win as a manager as Bastia overcame Toulouse 1-0 in Ligue 1 on Saturday night.
The Corsican outfit had lost one and drawn one of their opening two league fixtures but Ryad Boudebouz's 24th-minute penalty was enough to give them all three points this time.
The victory will prove a welcome distraction for Makelele, who had seen his preparations for the game dominated by striker Brandao, the Brazilian being provisionally suspended until September 18 by the Disciplinary Committee of the Ligue de Football Professionnel over his headbutt on Paris St Germain's Thiago Motta last weekend.
Toulose had the first opening of the evening as Wissam Ben Yedder pounced on a bad ball from N'Dri Romaric but failed to capitalise on the error as he flashed a shot just wide of goal.
Boudebouz then picked out Floyd Ayite inside the area but his half-volley was straight down the throat of Zacharie Boucher.
Then came the turning point of the match as Guillaume Gillet took a shot which Francois Moubandje handled inside the area.
Following a slight delay, Boudebouz kept his calm and sent Boucher the wrong way to open the scoring.
Toulouse were almost level when Issa Sylla's delivery beat Alphonse Areola in the Bastia goal but Julien Palmieri was there to hack clear.
Sebastien Squillaci should have doubled the lead 12 minutes after the break when he got on the end of a Boudebouz corner but the former Arsenal man could only head wide.
Boucher made a smart save from Junior Tallo just after the hour-mark and the keeper was called upon moments later to push away the unmarked Christopher Maboulou's dipping effort from inside the area.
Areola was then forced to come off his line smartly to smother a Martin Braithwaite shot as Bastia held on for victory.
