A defeat with a bitter taste

Watching the early stages of the game, played this Thursday night at the Stadio Friuli in Udine, an outside observer could easily have been misled in trying to identify which of the two teams had gone so close to playing the Champions League only a few weeks ago. Conquering, Frédéric Antonetti’s team was completely dominating the early stages of the game, while Udinese appeared very lacklustre.

Agressive in the ball recovery, the Bretons were dominant at midfield. This domination was barely affected by Mangane’s ankle injury, which forced the Rennes captain to abandon his team-mates after only fifteen minutes, replaced by Kana-Biyik. Rennes was logically creating the first big chances. After a few skirmishes, Hadji gave his team the lead: launched by Dalmat behind the Italian defence, the new Rennes player celebrated his first start since his return with a goal, slipping the ball between the legs of Handanovic (19’).
Udinese replied, particularly by Di Natale – whose curled shot wasn’t far from Costil’s goal – Stade Rennes created chance after chance to extend their lead. Six minutes after Hadji’s goal, Kembo came alone before the Slovenian goalkeeper but his shot was scuffed and wide. Shortly after, Hadji was at it again with a header from a corner and a thirty meter shot. But these times, Handanovic was vigilant.

With half-time approaching, the score line was logically to the advantage of the “Rouge et Noir”, but Di Natale finally justified his flattering reputation. Receiving a deep ball in the back of John Boye, the Italian international ran free with the ball and beat Costil with a perfect inside-foot cross-shot (39’). A few minutes later, Rennes had a chance to take the lead again, but Kembo hit straight on Handanovic rather than serving Tettey, alone at the penalty spot. Left without the ball during the whole of the first half, the Italians finally survived thanks to the talent of their star striker, and – it has to be said – also thanks to Rennes’ avoidable mistakes.
At half-time, realising that his tactical organisation needed reshaping, Francesco Guidolin replaced young Brazilian defender Neuton with the more experienced Maurizio Domizzi. A paying decision, since his team was back on the right track as soon as the second half started.

Fabbrini was the first to test Costil on a twenty-five meter shot, but the goalkeeper flew well to deflect the ball away. Much more in place in defence and at midfield, the Italian team was then much more in control of the ball, which didn’t prevent Rennes to keep on creating chances.
On an inspired pass from Pitroipa, Hadji hit the post despite a superb acrobatic volley. A few minutes later, Boukari – who came off the bench to replace Pitroipa – blasted a violent shot above the crossbar. Finally, it is an unfortunate event that would change the face of the game: Just after Montaño replaced Kembo, which would be Rennes’ final change of the game, Boukari attempted a diving header on a cross by the Colombian. Falling heavily to the floor, the Togolese striker was forced to leave his team-mates finish the game with ten players against eleven, apparently seriously hurt to the shoulder.

In reduced numbers for the final twenty minutes, the game wasn’t the same anymore for the Rennais, who had to forget about their ambitions of victory. Logically, the Udinese took the upper hand on the game, and saw an unexpected opportunity to win it. Twice, on corner-kicks, the Italian players beat the Rennes defender, but Montaño – standing by Costil’s right post – was present to hack the ball off his goal-line.
Two missed chances for Udinese, but it was only a matter of time. Eight minutes later, after a mistimed tackle by Danzé on the right flank, Kwadwo Asamoah fed a deep ball to Armero, who beat Costil with an unstoppable cross-shot (83’). Happy with their advantage, the Udine players could then control the end of the game against a Rennes team handicapped by its numerical inferiority as well as by the cruel blow received in a game they had been dominating.

Beaten two goals to one in Italy, the « Rouge et Noir » can legitimately have huge regrets when looking back at this game and at their early domination. An unlucky end of the match which shouldn’t, however, let anyone forget about the lacks once again noticed in terms of finishing in attack as well as in terms of marking at the back.

Match Facts

UDINESE CALCIO 2 - 1 STADE RENNAIS FC (half-time : 1-1)

Europa League, Groupe I, Game Week 1
Thursday, September 15, 2011 21:05

Stadio Friuli
Attendance : about 10 000 spectators

Referee: Pavel Cristian Balaj

Goals : Di Natale (39’) and Armero (83’) for Udine ; Hadji (19’) for Rennes.

Yellow Cards : Fabbrini (56’) for Udine ; Tettey (37’), Kembo (39’), Dalmat (43’) and Danzé (55’) for Rennes.

- Stade rennais FC : Costil - Danzé, Mangane (cap) (Kana-Biyik, 15’), Boye, Mavinga - M’Vila, Tettey, Dalmat - Pitroipa (Boukari, 59’), Hadji, Kembo (Montaño, 71’).

Manager: Frédéric Antonetti.

- Udinese Calcio : Handanovic - Benatia, Danilo, Neuton (Domizzi, 46’) - Fabbrini (Asamoah, 70’), Doubai, Agyemang-Badu, Isla, Armero - Abdi - Di Natale (Barreto, 66’).

Manager : Francesco Guidolin.