Stade Rennais – Angers: Rennes wins without shining
For the 15th day of Ligue 1, Stade Rennes challenged Angers at home and won without shining.
Rennes 2-0 Angers
Stade Rennes played its last league match of the calendar year, at Roazhon Park, this Sunday. Against Angers, the Breton club could not lose, otherwise they would fall into a certain slump during the holidays. Before the final whistle, Rennes was two points from the red zone. For this meeting, Jorge Sampaoli suspended and in the stands still lined up a three-central defense, which included Truffert. Nagida was aligned left piston. The eleven was otherwise the same as in Nantes.
Gouiri out injured, Gronbaek scores on his entry
In red, Rennes kicked off in a 3-5-2 with a low-point midfielder, Matusiwa. Further up, James got the first big opportunity with a shot off target (5th). On a cross into the area (8th), Gouiri and Fofana collided but still ended up returning to the field. The striker finally had to give way to Gronbaek (14th) after long minutes of preparation.
In this choppy start to the match, Rennes were frightened by certain ball losses, too far from the opponent when pressing. From the 25th minute, the first whistles began to come from the stadium. The first shot on target came from Blas, well captured by Fofana (27th). The first goal came by surprise, on a Rennes counterattack. Assignon brought the ball up well, served Blas on the right wing, and the attacking midfielder found Gronbaek at the near post with a headed cross. 1-0!
The rest of the period was just as painful for Stade Rennes, with an illegible game plan for a static team. After a header off target from Niane (45th), Rennes returned to the locker room happy to lead.
A second one as poor as the first.
Returning from the locker room, SRFC was still skating as much, and Jorge Sampaoli was heard in the stands. Difficult approaching the opponent's goal, like Kalimuendo who did not improve a good counter (55th). Or like Gronbaek, who sent his shot into the stands, after a good ball recovery from Kalimuendo and Nagida (57th). Nagida again projected well and his cross endangered Fofana, forced to go out in front of Kalimuendo (61st).
For ten minutes nothing still happened, until a shot on target from Kalimuendo (74th) on Fofana who caught it. Abdelli also had the same shot to negotiate on the counter which followed, but did not hit the target (75th). Angers finally got on target (81st) on a free kick from Ferhat boxed for a corner by Mandanda, a corner cleared in disaster by Rennes.
The end of the match saw Angers pressing on the Rennes camp, and the refereeing further disrupted the match. Sampaoli shielded the team by bringing in Wooh for the final minutes, and Rennes hit the nail on the head with a shot from Assignon deflected by Lefort in his goal, lobbing Fofana.
Rennes won by two goals after a very poor match. The three points at the end of a long tunnel.
MATCH SHEET
STADE RENNAIS FC 2-0 ANGERS SCO
League 1- J15
Sunday December 15, 2024 at 5:00 p.m.
Roazhon Park
27,781 spectators including 533 visitors
Arbitre: Judge Ben El Hadj
Buts : Gronbaek (33e), Assignon (90+1e)
Warnings: James (39th), Ostigard (56th), Kalimuendo (80th)
Rennes : Mandanda – Hateboer, Ostigard, Truffert – Assignon, Matusiwa, James (76e, Kamara), Nagida (87e, Gomez) – Blas (76e, Jota), Kalimuendo (87e, Wooh), Gouiri (14e, Gronbaek)
Coach : Jorge Sampaoli.
Angers : Fofana – Arcus, Lefort, Bamba, Hanin (45th, Ekomié) – Aholou, Belkebla – Belkhdim (67th, Ferhat), Abdelli, Raolisoa (67th, Lepaul) – Niane (76th, Dieng)
Coach : Alexandre Dujeux
