The same old story...
Coupe de la Ligue, EA Guingamp 3 - 1 Stade rennais. Is this déjà-vu ? A bit more than a year after the Stade de France, the En Avant Guingamp has tamed the Stade Rennais again. Following the early goal by Jires Kembo Ekoko, a Guingamp team disciplined in defence and efficient in attack gave a genuine football lessons to a lacklustre Rennes side.
Four minutes in the game: Jirès Kembo crowned a beautiful slalom in the Guingamp defence with a strike across and into the goal. As a Ligue 1 team - even playing away – taking an early lead against a National League team, an upset seemed most unlikely.
Unfortunately for their supporters, the Stade Rennais is proving season after season to be a different to most other clubs. Swamping themselves in individualistic skills rather than playing as a team, stumbling again and again against a disciplined and coherent Guingamp squad, Frédéric Antonetti’s young team gave Jocelyn Gourvennec and his men all opportunities to renew their 2009 feat.
Less than half an hour played, and Anthony Knockaert was connecting to a perfect cross by Thibault Giresse to beat Carasso with a brilliant first post header. Fifteen minutes after half-time, on a counter, the same Giresse was delivering his second assist of the night, finding Soly alone in front of the goal. Finally, six minutes from the end, Diallo wrapped it all up for the visitors, with another header leaving Carasso helpless.
Definitely, Stade Rennes had nothing to them this Wednesday, and certainly didn’t deserve to qualify, not this way. After the game, Frédéric Antonetti announced there would be « a before and an after » this Guingamp-Rennes. It has to be said however, that this game had a real taste of deja-vu, and nothing shows the history could change in a near future.
Match Facts
EA GUINGAMP 3 - 1 STADE RENNAIS FC (Half-time : 1-1)
Coupe de la Ligue, Round of 32
Wednesday, September 22nd , 20:45
Stade de Roudourou
Attendance : 7 828 spectators
Referee : Fredy Fautrel
Goals : Knockaert (25’), Soly (59’) and Diallo (84’) for Guingamp ; Kembo Ekoko (4’) for Rennes
Yellow Cards : Diallo (8’) and Koné (41’) for Guingamp ; Mandjeck (40’), M’Vila (73’), Kana-Biyik (84’) and Kembo Ekoko (90’) for Rennes
- EA Guingamp : Samassa - Ringayen, Koné, Colleau, Argelier - Mathis (cap), Diallo, Ogunbiyi (Douniama, 78’), Giresse (Imbula, 69’) - Soly, Allaoui (Knockaert, 18’).
Manager : Jocelyn Gourvennec.
- Stade Rennais FC : Carrasso - Théophile-Catherine, Kana-Biyik, Mangane (cap), Souprayen - Mandjeck, Doumbia, Leroy (Montaño, 60’) - Brahimi (M’Vila, 51’), Kembo Ekoko, Camara.
Manager : Frédéric Antonetti.