Stade Rennais will be licking their wounds going into the mini winter break as they were convincingly beaten by Stade de Reims at home.
It seemed to be a great party with an incredible hangover for the Bretons who were high flyers in Ligue 1 going into this month baring down on manageable games that would only enhance their league position. Unfortunately, fortunes never turned the way they'd liked and have only picked up three points in the league.
Rennes came into the game off the back of a narrow cup win at home to Creteil in midweek, whilst the visitors, Reims, had a weeks rest after defeating Evian in the league.
Both teams had half chances in the opening sequence of the game, with Rennes doing well with an attacking move, whereas at the other end, Benjamin Moukandjo was unlucky to have his effort blocked by Mexer. Reims were effective in attacking down Rennes' right side as Diego was running rings around Roman Danze who was unable to match him. Moukandjo and Mexer were to come face to face again as the Rennes defender was forced to block another shot on goal.
The home side picked up slightly as Cheikh M'Bengue tried to link up with winger, Paul-Georges Ntep, but the Reims keeper, Johnny Placide, was more than aware and scooped up before the danger was heightened. Reims were definitely the more dominant side in the early stages, they were playing like the home side and had knocked up 70% possession at one point. That being said, Rennes were doing all they could to try and inflict some pain on the Reims back line. They came as close as they ever had when Ntep whipped in a venomous cross which only just evaded Christian Bruls in at the back post.
The first shot on target never arrived until the 23rd minute when Gaetan Charbonnier's long ranger was calmly collected by Benoit Costil in the Rennes goal. Rennes hardly threatened their opponents and sloppiness was a major factor, as Bruls was poorly picked out by Ntep when his weighted pass drifted out for a goal kick. Once again the right side of the Rennes defence was caught out, this time the overlapping, Franck Signorino, having his unchallenged cross collected by Costil.
Bruls was the target man yet again for another Rennes attack, but like before errors got in the way as another ball towards the Belgian winger drifted away from him, this time by M'Bengue. Although Reims were dominating the possession stats going into half time, they surprised us all by going a goal down before the break. Bruls curled a costless-kick into the box, and it was centre-back Mexer who towered above the rest to head in from 12 yards- their first shot on target in the half.
The second half was shots galore, the first coming from Moukandjo after kick off- the Reims forward didn't trouble Costil with his shot from the D. The Reims defence was troubled however, as Bruls stormed into the box costless from his opponents but terrible decision making saw him scuff what appeared to be a shot across the goal mouth- Ntep furious that he never received a cut-back in an open position. Reims pushed for a leveler, with passions running high in the away camp- Diego flung himself at a cross into the six yard box, with Mexer doing well to shepherd him away from the ball.
Although Ngog would have been frustrated not to get on a threatening cross, Charbonnier would be more annoyed that his effort from just outside the box was scuffed wide. Ntep, agitated at the previous Rennes attack, thought he could have scored all by himself. He evaded the offside trap to be one on one with Placide, unfortunate that the defence managed to catch up and rob him of the ball as Ntep was about to pull the trigger.
Reims showed their opponents how to execute a cut-back correctly, when they scored from one to draw level. Charbonnier battered home from just inside the box as the pass was played perfectly into his path, leaving Costil helpless. Reims maintained their foothold in the game, still having the vast majority of possession. David Ngog entered the referee's book when he palmed the ball towards goal from a dangerous costless-kick.
This never mattered one jot as Reims took the lead in extraordinary circumstances. Smart one-two play in the midfield saw substitute, Fortes, in costless space- from 30 yards out, he dinked and curled the ball in the direction of the goal, leaving Costil stranded as he saw the ball nestle his net. Although neither team wouldn't have wanted to share the spoils at the beginning of the game, Rennes looked to do so as time was running out.
Habib Habibou replaced a missing shirt in Ola Toivonen, whereas Pedro Henrique came on for another quiet player in Bruls. Both men linked up as they tried to cancel out the screamer. Henrique cut inside and whacked a shot at Placide who spilled only for Habibou to overhead kick the ball over the bar, before the offside flag was raised against him. The best chance of the half for Rennes came in quick succession- Henrique's low cross towards Doucoure was scrambled away, only for a cross to be played at the back post for Ntep who bizarrely struck across the face of goal, leaving everyone of a Rennes affiliation, stunned.
A familiar feat of Rennes in recent matches returned- every player pushed up late on to try and get a leveler and was harshly punished once again. Substitute, Nicolas De Preville beat the high line to go one-on-one with Costil. It was simple as he side footed across the keeper. Although the ultras behind the goal were in full support of the team, as the full time whistle blew- a boo rang round the Route de Lorient. The small traveling section of Reims fans, jubilant that their men turned their misfortunes around. Rennes leave another match scratching their heads, with many of the fans calling for them.
Both teams come back from the two week break in cup action. Reims travel to St Maur Lusi, meanwhile Rennes also travel to the border to face Dunkirk