Rennes should have done better

Stade Rennes didn’t reproduce the same sort of catastrophic start to the game as last week-end in Nice. Against Brest, Antonetti’s men were the first in action with a first shot on target by Pitroipa (2’). Rennes played in Brest’s camp and the midfield composed of M’Vila, Doumbia and Pajot – already lined-up for the previous derby against Lorient – put Brest on the back foot with their ability to bring the ball up the field. In attack Pitroipa caused troubles inside the Brest defence, but lacked precision in the final pass.

Brest under pressure

The first serious chance was created by the Stade Brestois however, when after fifteen minutes, Ben Basat’s shot bounced off Costil goal’s crossbar (14’). There would be no more warning for the Rennais. Three minutes later, Grougi also hit the bar with a shot from range. Roux pounced on the rebound and pushed the ball into an empty net, completely abandoned by a very passive Rennes defence (1-0, 17’).

Brest had had its period of domination. Well in place as a team, showing good technique, Brest had opened the score but would have to face Rennes’ reaction. M’Vila didn’t really worry Elana with a long shot out of target (18’) while Doumbia, at the end of a one-two with Pitroipa at the entrance of the penalty area, saw the Brest goalkeeper push his shot away. Rennes was putting pressure on the opposition’s goal and he would eventually pay off. After a foul on Pitroipa, the “Rouge et Noir” earned a good free-kick taken by Féret. Danzé jumped higher than the Brest defence and equalised with a header (1-1, 30’). Rennes had taken control of the game and kept on applying the pressure. Pajot and Kana-Biyik forced Elana to a double save (38’). The former tried again a few minutes later but couldn’t hit the target (43’) after receiving a good ball from Pitroipa. The Burkinabe, very active in the first half, then saw his shot countered by the Brest defence (44’).

Rennes doesn’t find the solution

Brest had suffered during the final twenty-five minutes of the first half, but the team from Finistere didn’t cave in under the pressure. Alex Dupont’s players were actually looking better in the second half, and would create more dangerous opportunity through Licka and Roux. The former was twice denied by Costil, on a first shot deflected away for a corner (49’) and on a second one lacking power (53’). The latter tried a little lob, but the ball flew just over the crossbar of Rennes’ goal (62’).

While Rennes was showing more initiative than in the first half, Rennes struggled to find spaces. Rennes stumbled on a well organised Brest team and lacked both dynamism and realism to manage the difference. The entrance of Montaño would make no difference: Against a team it could have beaten, Stade Rennais drop points once again. A bad habit which could prove costly to Antonetti’s men, who see their direct competitors take points in the same time.

Match Facts

STADE RENNAIS FC 1 - 1 STADE BRESTOIS 29 (half-time : 1-1)

Ligue 1, Game Week 17
Saturday, December 10th 2011 19:00

Stade de la Route de Lorient
Attendance : 20 275 spectators

Referee : Lionel Jaffredo

Goals : Danzé (30’) for Rennes. Roux (16’) for Brest.

Yellow Cards : Mandjeck (60’) for Rennes. Grougi (63’) for Lorient.

- Stade Rennais FC : Costil - Danzé, Kana-Biyik, Mandjeck (Mavinga, 68’), Théophile-Catherine - M’Vila, Doumbia (Montaño, 77’), Pajot - Féret, Hadji, Pitroipa.

Manager : Frédéric Antonetti.

- Stade Brestois 29 : Elana - Baysse, Zebina, Gentiletti, Lorenzi - Licka, Ewolo, Grougi - Poyet, Ben Basat (Lesoimier, 89’), Roux.

Manager : Alex Dupont.