Rennes suffers but wins

In an early game dominated by the Stade Rennais, it was Evian Thonon Gaillard who earned the first chance when, on a corner-kick, Pitroipa cleared the ball off his goal-line on a header from Angoula (8’). Rennes would react immediately: Féret picked up the ball 40 metres away from the goal, dribbled four players and chipped the ball past Laquait (1-0, 10’). The former Nancy-man opened the score-line on a personal feat, and he was close to double his team’s lead a few minutes later: left alone on the 6 metres line, he volleyed a cross by Montaño but was denied by Laquait (16’). On the following corner, Kembo blasted the ball over the bar (17’). A bit earlier, Théophile-Catherine wasn’t any luckier at the end of a counter-attack (14’).

An open game

Rennes had clear chances and could wonder how they hadn’t managed to extend their lead. Served by Sagbo, Barboas didn’t hesitate and unleashed a shot from outside the area straight into Costil’s netting (1-1, 19’). The game was completely open, and the spaces left on both sides allowed both teams to attack. Kembo, first, managed to attract Laquait away from his goal before pushing the ball back for Féret. But the playmaker’s chip didn’t reach the empty Evian goal (21’). A minute later, taking profit of a bad alignment of the Evian defence, Montaño beat the offside trap but his shot was cleared by Angoula in front of his goal (22’).
And once again, Rennes was left to rue its missed chances. Profiting of a sloppy marking by the Breton defence, Wass profited of a favourable flick to present himself in front of Costil. The Danish forward managed to squeeze the ball between the right post and the arm of the goalkeeper, beaten for the second time of the night (1-2, 32’). Now leading on the score board, Evian Thonon Gaillard gained in confidence but was also threatened by Rennes’ individual actions, notably through Kembo (shot from the wing, 41’) and Pitroipa (shot above the bar, 43’). The players from Savoie started the second half without any complex, as illustrated by Barbosa whose shot was pushed away by Costil (48’), but they would lose their goalkeeper on an injury: Laquait, who had managed a good game until then, beat Montaño to the ball on a one-on-one and clashed with the Rennes forward in the process, triggering his replacement with Andersen. After a first save on Montaño, the goalkeeper would end up picking the ball up in the goals twice.

The match goes crazy

Indeed, Stade Rennes increased the pressure more and more, and had no problem to approach Andersen’s goal. The “Rouge et Noir” would change the course of the game in ten minutes. First, and despite being beaten to the ball by a defender in the area, Hadji, from the floor, managed an overhead kick on a poorly cleared ball and found the back of the net (2-2, 77’). Rennes kept on pressing, and eventually forced Casoni’s men to commit mistakes. On a chip by Pitroipa, Sorlin handballed in the area, and conceded a penalty. Féret didn’t miss his chance, and beat Andersen to give the lead back to Rennes (3-2, 87’)

The supporters at the Stade de la Route de Lorient would still know more emotions and they would live a crazy end of the game. In the minute following the Breton goal, Kana-Biyik was dismissed for pushing Khlifa to the floor. Rennes, with ten players against eleven, would have to resist for… eight minutes of injury time! Enough for Costil to save his team by stopping a point range shot from Adnane on the six metre line (90+2’). Evian Thonon Gaillard was giving it all in the final minutes of the game, but in vain. As against Lyon last week-end, Stade Rennes won after trailing. Antonetti’s men, dominant but also guilty of a couple of bad defensive errors, won this game in the difficulty. But the success is acquired, and allows them to stay in the mix with the leading teams.

Match Facts

STADE RENNAIS FC 3 - 2 EVIAN THONON GAILLARD FC (half-time : 1-2)

Ligue 1, Game Week 15
Saturday, November 26th 2011, 19:00

Stade de la Route de Lorient
Attendance : about 20 000 spectators

Referee : Sébastien Moreira

Goals : Féret (10’), Hadji (77’), Féret (87’, pen) for Rennes. Barbosa (19’), Wass (32’) for Evian Thonon Gaillard.

Yellow Cards : Doumbia (3’), Kembo (43’) for Rennes. Poulsen (23’), Angoula (35’), Sorlin (49’) for Evian Thonon Gaillard.

Red Card : Kana-Biyik (88’) for Rennes.

- Stade Rennais FC : Costil - Danzé, Kana-Biyik, Mandjeck (Mavinga, 81’), Théophile-Catherine - M’Vila, Doumbia, Féret - Kembo (Boukari, 75’), Montaño (Hadji, 67’), Pitroipa.

Manager : Frédéric Antonetti.

- Evian Thonon Gaillard FC : Laquait (Andersen, 61’) - Dja Djédjé, Angoula, Cambon, Ehret - Wass (Adnane, 84’), Poulsen, Sorlin, Barbosa (Tie Bi, 75’) - Sagbo, Khlifa.

Manager : Bernard Casoni.