Stade Rennes hosted AS Monaco this Saturday, October 5, at Roazhon Park, on behalf of the 7th day of Ligue 1 McDonald’s. In front of an almost full stadium, Julien Stéphan’s men failed to get a result against a more realistic Monegasque team. They lost with a score of 1-2. A meeting which leaves a bitter taste for the Breton supporters, many of whom whistled the performance of the Rouge et Noir.
An explosive start to the match
The match got off to a flying start with AS Monaco opening the score early in the 6th minute. Thilo Kehrer, perfectly served on a cross, lands an unstoppable header for Steve Mandanda (0-1). The stunned Roazhon Park quickly saw its hopes revived thanks to a magnificent strike from Ludovic Blas. In the 11th minute, 30 meters from the cages, the former Nantes player sent a missile into the top corner of Philipp Köhn, setting the record straight (1-1). However, Monaco did not take long to regain the advantage. In the 22nd minute, Folarin Balogun, well served in the box, executed a clever dive over Mandanda, making the score 1-2.
A late Rennes reaction
Returning from the locker room, Rennes tries to get back into the match. Arnaud Kalimuendo came close to equalizing in the 50th minute, but his shot hit the post. The Rennes showed more intensity in their offensive efforts, increasing the number of incursions into the Monegasque area. Alidu Seidu stands out for his precise passes and his vision of the game, but the attempts of Gouiri and Kamara are blocked or countered.
Monaco, for their part, also appeared threatening with a shot from Ben Seghir which smashed the Rennes crossbar in the 49th minute. Despite this intermittent domination on both sides, the score remained unchanged until the end of the match. “As with any defeat, it’s painful, even more so when you did everything you could to put a big Monaco team in difficulty,” explained Julien Stéphan at the end of the match.
The Rennes coach doesn’t have many complaints to make to the players in this match. “Congratulations to Monaco for its efficiency, its ability to save time, to defend well. We tried a lot, sometimes narrowly missing the pass or the shot, which cost us to come away with a setback. Over the first seven days, we met the 1isthe 2ethe 4thethe 6thethe 7thethe teams who are making a very good start to the season. I’m not saying that this explains our 7 points. Particularly outside, we must also find other content. »
A Stade Rennes lacking inspiration
Leaving the stadium, the post-match reactions testify to the palpable frustration among the Rennais. If the team showed positive signs, notably thanks to the performances of Blas and Seidu, it sorely lacks leadership and consistency in the game. The return of Jota brought freshness, but it arrived too late to make the difference. Some Rennes fans point the finger at the tactical choices and regret the absence of a real striker capable of turning the game around. “We are missing a real planter,” commented a supporter leaving the stadium. All eyes are also on Steve Mandanda, who is going through a bad patch, while Gronbeck continues to put in a series of lackluster performances.
With this defeat, Rennes finds itself at a delicate turning point. After 7 matches and only 7 points, the Rouge et Noir are dangerously stagnant in the standings, with performances below expectations. If the objective at the start of the season was Europe, the ambitions seem to have to be revised downwards. It is clear that adjustments will be necessary, both tactically and mentally. The new director, Arnaud Pouille, present at this meeting, was undoubtedly able to measure the extent of the work to be accomplished to rectify the situation. See the match summary.
7th in Ligue 1 McDonald’s. Stade Rennais FC/AS Monaco : 1-2. Saturday, October 5, 2024 – 9 p.m. Roazhon Park – 26 533 spectators. Goals : SRFC : Ludovic Blas (11th). ASM : Thilo Kehrer (6th), Folarin Balogun (22nd).
Monaco : Philipp Köhn, Vanderson, Thilo Kehrer, Christian Mawissa, Wilfried Singo, Kassoum Ouattara, Denis Zakaria (c), Mohamed Camara, Eliesse Ben Seghir, Folarin Balogun, Takumi Minamino.
Rennes : Steve Mandanda (c), Hans Hateboer, Alidu Seidu, Leo Østigård, Mikayil Faye, Adrien Truffert, Azor Matusiwa, Glen Kamara, Ludovic Blas, Albert Grønbæk, Arnaud Kalimuendo
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