Focused Rennes follow their way in the Coupe de France

Difficult pitch, freezing cold, small stadium and hoistile supporters: This is the context Frédéric Antonetti and his men were confronted to this Sunday afternoon in Lyon against Vaulx-en-Velin, a small Division d’Honneur team from the Rhône-Alpes region.

Rennes started the game in a positive way, and progressively applied the pressure on Rion’s goal, without creating real danger. The first – and best – chance in the first half happened half an hour in the game. After escaping on the left flank, Brahimi crossed for Tettey, who hit the post with a diving header. Pressure was on the shoulders of the Vaulx players, and Frédéric Antonetti kept on shouting from his technical area, requesting his men to constantly harass the amateur players for the ball.

In his goal, Nicolas Douchez, experience a very quiet first half to the game.

Tettey, once again

The lack of efficiency, worrying for Stade Rennes in the first half, was soon corrected at the beginning of the second act. After five minutes, Tettey slotted the ball in Rion’s net on a delivery from Brahimi, who had made the difference on the left wing (0-1, 50’). The Norwegian, in great form at the moment, scored his fourth goal since the winter break.

The Vaudais tried to make the best of free-kicks near the penalty-area to equalise. Twice, Douchez was tested, and mended perfectly the lacks of a very passive back-line, first on a header by Guepié (65’), then on a ball slightly deflected by Hassaïne’s skull (71’).

Yacine Brahimi relieved Rennes three minutes later, running to the goal after a missed intervention by Vaulx defender Zemmouri (0-2, 74’). Vaulx-en-Velin were disheartened, and they could even have conceded a third goal if the referee had awarded a blatant penalty, when Rougé clearly held Brahimi in the penalty area (79’).

Rennes will be contented with this 2-0 score line, in a game only sullied by Georges Mandjeck’s injury. The amateurs from the Lyon region can come out of the competition with their heads high, accompanied to the dressing room by a guard of honour from the professionals, in front of Pierre Dréossi and Rennes president Patrick Le Lay.

Match facts

FC VAULX-EN-VELIN 0 - 2 STADE RENNAIS FC (half-time : 0-0)

Coupe de France, Round of 32
Sunday, January 24th 2011, 14:45

Stade de Balmont, Lyon
Attendance : around 4000 spectators

Referee: Pascal Vileo

Goals : Tettey (50’) and Brahimi (74’) for Rennes.

- Stade Rennais FC : Douchez - Danzé, Kana-Biyik, Mangane (cap), Théophile-Catherine - Mandjeck (Leroy, 69’), M’Vila, Tettey - Kembo (Camara, 90’+1), Boukari, Brahimi (Souprayen, 90’).

Manager: Frédéric Antonetti.

- FC Vaulx-en-Velin : Rion - Zemmouri, Bouacida, H. Hassaïne (Rougé, 77’), Bakary - Duarte (Nzoungbo, 86’), Saada (Sainte-Catherine, 66’) - Éthève, Merabti, Guepié - Belgacem.

Manager: Mustapha Hassaïne.