Rennes still looking for a home victory

The game started a few minutes later than expected. Why? The French League’s representative refused to let the Rennes players on the pitch with t-shirts to show their support to Fabien Lemoine, triggering Antonetti’s anger.

As in the first 2 game weeks, Rennes started the game well. On the 1st minute, Montaño escaped on the right flank but Monsoreau was there to cover. The Colombian obtained a corner however, without result. A few minutes later, Leroy passed a deep ball to Gyan, but the Ghanaian striker was caught offside (3’). The same two men did it again at the 7th minute, Gyan stroke with the tip of his foot, but his shot had too much angle and only skimmed Janot’s post. In the meantime, Montaño had intercepted a Bocanegra pass in the centre of the field before being brought down in the penalty area, but Mr. Rainville did not whistle.

Brahimi, the only spark for Rennes

The game then started to be more balanced. On the 18th minute, Saint Etienne created themselves a good chance when. After 18 minutes, Saint Etienne had a good chance when Sako, at the end of a great ball by Payet, took profit of a double error by the Rennes defence: Théophile-Catherine’s sloppy marking and Fanni’s bad placement to let the player onside, where of no consequence after the striker gave his shot too much angle.
The match was then quite even, with chances for both teams. For Rennes, a Leroy free-kick ended a meter off the left post (22’). M’Vila wasn’t more fortunate on a long range shot (26’), Mangane (32’, on a free kick by Leroy) and Gyan (33’, on a cross from Danzé) did not find the target with their headers. For Saint Etienne, Landrin’s header after a rush from Ebondo was not enough to worry Douchez (24’).

Not as fit as during their first two games, the Rennais were lacking rhythm. Only Brahimi, through his accelerations, managed to make the difference with the ball and bring the danger in the Saint-Etienne penalty area. But neither Gyan (34’), nor Montaño (39’), managed to convert the chances.

The last chance of a disappointing first half was Saint Etienne’s. After 42 minutes, Payet went past Danzé on the flank, before striking to the right of Douchez’ goal.

The best chance for Saint Etienne

Back for the second half, Saint-Étienne was close to opening the score when Bocanegra headed the ball back to Marchal. The former Lorient man, alone in front of the goal, placed a diving header out of target (53’), the biggest chance in the game. Rennes’ reply was immediate, when Leroy found Gyan on a free-kick, but the Ghanaian’s header was boxed away by Janot (54’). A few minutes later, Gyan accelerated and heeled the ball towards Leroy for a cross, but no one came across it (58’).

The match then started to turn sour. The referee had to caution Montaño (64e) and Perrin (65’) before giving Antonetti a stern warning (74’). Rennes, all over the Saint-Etienne team in the end of the game, kept on pressing up front but neither Brahimi (67’), nor Bangoura (78’, 80’) or Montaño found the target.

Enjoying near total domination, Rennes was still exposed to counters however, as when Bergessio’s shot was well caught by Douchez. The Rennes goalkeeper had had nothing to do since the beginning of the second half.

In the injury time, Rennes pushed but could not find the opening, despite a free-kick and a corner by Leroy (90’, 90+1’). The Bretons, still unbeaten in Ligue 1 this year, managed their second draw of the

Game Facts

STADE RENNAIS FC 0 - 0 AS SAINT-ÉTIENNE (half time : 0-0)

Ligue 1, Game Week 3
Saturday, August 21th 2010, 19:00

Stade de la Route de Lorient
Attendance : 24 731 spectators

Referee : Nicolas Rainville

Yellow Cards : Brahimi (55e) and Montaño (64e) for Rennes ; Marchal (36e) and Perrin (65e) for Saint-Étienne.

- Stade Rennais FC : Douchez - Danzé, Fanni, Mangane, Théophile-Catherine - Leroy, M’Vila, Dalmat - Montaño, Gyan (Kembo Ekoko, 60’ then Bangoura, 73’), Brahimi (Doumbia, 84’).

Manager : Frédéric Antonetti.

- AS Saint-Étienne : Janot - Ebondo, Marchal, Monsoreau, Bocanegra - Perrin, Matuidi - Sako (Bergessio, 46’), Landrin (Guilavogui, 79’), Payet - Rivière (Batlles, 89’).

Manager: Christophe Galtier.

Reactions

- Yacine Brahimi : «I really think we should have won that game. I’m very disappointed. We had the chances to score. We lacked realism.»

- Jérémie Janot (goalkeeper, AS Saint-Étienne) : «It’s a good point, taken against one of the best attacking sides in the League. It was a good Ligue 1 game. The aim was to play low to try and bring them to us. To come here and leave without conceding, it proves the potential of our team. »