The Italian side were dreadful in the opening hour of a scrappy match and deservedly went behind when Yoann Gourcuff curled home a superb 20-yarder in the 15th minute.

But the contest turned on the 36th-minute sending-off of Les Girondins centre-back Henrique, for a sly elbow on Simone Perrotta, and Roma eventually woke from their torpor.

Mirko Vucinic levelled matters just after the hour mark and substitute Baptista bagged a brace in the final 20 minutes to seal the win at the Stade Chaban-Delmas.

The victory will come as a relief to the Eternal City side, who were stunned 2-1 by Cluj in their opening pool match, but qualifying already looks bleak for Bordeaux, thrashed 4-0 by Chelsea a fortnight ago and still without a point.

It was all Les Girondins until Henrique saw red, and even into the second half.

Desperate to avenge their heavy defeat at Stamford Bridge, they shot out of the blocks and Jussie should have done better when he shot straight at goalkeeper Alexander Doni from 12 yards out.

Gourcuff, who excelled for France in their World Cup qualifier against Serbia last month, dragged a left-foot effort wide in the 14th minute but he had more success moments later.

He collected a pass from Jussie, cut inside and unleashed a powerful curling shot from 20 yards that found the far corner from the angle.

However, the game was turned on its head when Bordeaux were hit by a double *u*ker-punch.

Seconds after Jussie was forced to withdraw with what appeared to be a thigh injury, Henrique was given his marching orders when - at his own team's free-kick - he floored Perrotta with an elbow as he fought for space.

Gabriel Obertan, lively up until then, was sacrificed for defender Marc Planus and Bordeaux were prepared to sit back and defend their lead.

Just before the break, they even came close to doubling their advantage when Wendel headed Gourcuff's cross just wide.

The heavens opened for the start of the second half but Roma were struggling to get a grip on proceedings despite their numerical superiority.

Baptista came on for fellow forward Jeremy Menez but his team-mates lost possession time and again and Bordeaux were coping comfortably.

The visitors' 64th-minute equaliser, therefore, came completely out of the blue.

Following a rare foray forward, Daniele De Rossi whipped in a near-post corner and Vucinic beat marker Souleymane Diawara to the ball to head home with goalkeeper Mathieu Valverde stranded in no man's land.

The Italians started to swarm all over the tiring Les Girondins and the second goal arrived seven minutes later, Baptista stepping up and curling a delightful free-kick over the wall and into the corner.

It was harsh on Bordeaux, who continued to work hard in tough conditions and Fernando sent in a set-piece that just missed Doni's far post.

However Baptista made the game safe for his side by getting on the end of Rodrigo Taddei's volleyed cross to slide home a well-taken finish.