The collapse continues

This time it’s official, Stade Rennes is in great danger to miss on the European places. Beaten once again, Frédéric Antonetti’s players are now only a handful of points away from the teams chasing them in the league.

Rennes had started the game rather well however, with a good pressing and a team showing good will. The domination could even have been rewarded with a penalty, if M. Coué had whistle a fairly obvious foul on Doumbia at the heart of the penalty area,
Finally, it wasn’t to happen and Rennes were soon out of the game. Valenciennes, naturally, made the most of it. On a ball lost by Dalmat at midfield, the Breton defence was taken aback by the counter-attack. Foued Kadir capped the move by quietly tapping in Cohade’s cross and opened the score (16’).

Stade Rennais were already beaten. At the beginning of the second half, the second Valenciennes goal scored by Gaël Danic was logical (52’) and underlined once again the incredible passivity of Rennes’ defence. Abandoning the ship, the “Rouge et Noir” were inches away to conceding more goals, on a rush by Pujol triggering a last-gasp challenge by Mangane (56’) or a header by Kadir well caught by Douchez (77’).
On their side, Rennes created themselves a few chances, but not enough to beat Penneteau. Boukari was inches away from converting a mistake by Angoua (69’), Lemoine’s shot came close (72’) and Montaño forced the Valenciennes keeper to tip the ball out for a corner (88’).

However, despite these desperate spurts, Rennes never showed they could deserve more than abandoning three points at Nungesser. Even worse, Frédéric Antonetti will have to cope with another lot of injuries, between John Boye – injured to the thigh on a challenge with Pujol – and Kader Mangane – injured to the knee after a heavy defensive challenge. May will be a long, long month at the Stade Rennais.

Match facts

VALENCIENNES FC 2 - 0 STADE RENNAIS FC (half-time : 1-0)

Ligue 1, Game Week 34
Sunday, May 8th 2011, 17:00

Stade Nungesser
Attendance : 11 429 spectators

Referee : Bruno Coué

Goals : Kadir (18’) and Danic (53’) for Valenciennes

Yellow Cards : Bong (3’) and Angoua (6’) for Valenciennes ; Danzé (40’) for Rennes

- Stade Rennais FC : Douchez - Boye (Lemoine, 29’), Kana-Biyik, Mangane (cap) (Jebbour, 62’), Souprayen - Doumbia, M’Vila, Dalmat (Tettey, 53’)- Danzé, Montaño, Boukari.

Manager : Frédéric Antonetti.

- Valenciennes FC : Penneteau - Ducourtioux (cap), Bisevac, Angoua, Bong - Nam (Saez, 68’), Cohade, Sanchez, Kadir, Danic (Pallois, 78’) - Pujol (Samassa, 85’).

Manager: Philippe Montanier.