Rennes play with fire

The game started slowly at the Stade de la Route de Lorient. Despite this, before a rush by Kembo at the centre of the field, Jonathan Pitroipa attempted a shot at the second minute. But without success for the Burkinabe winger. Four minutes later, it was Evian Thonon Gaillard who was on the attack. Indeed, Bérigaud managed to sneak past the right flank of the Rennes defence, beat Kana-Biyik and delivered to Kahlenberg, but the former Auxerre player flew just wide of Costil’s goal. Surprisingly absent in the duels, the “Rouge et Noir” were struggling in these early minutes. Pablo Correa’s players seemed better in place and covered the pitch well. At the tenth minute Julien Féret found Pitroipa at the entrance of the penalty area but the Rennes forward could not hit the target. Most of the game was played at midfield, and the attacks were clearly lacking emphasis from both sides. A few minutes later, Rennes was awarded a free-kick following an obstruction on Pitroipa, who had made the difference on the left wing. Kembo took it and beat the unfortunate Andersen. (1-0, 21’). The Rennes forward’s shot was indeed countered by the back of Sidney Govou. Rennes unlocked the scoreboard, and warmed up its supporters.
Rennes’ defence wasn’t put into any real pressure, and the players from Savoie showed a cruel lack of imagination. After half an hour, Chris Mavinga launched the new recruit Mevlut Erding, but the Turkish international’s shot flew way over the goal of Stephan Andersen. Minutes later, Pitroipa, full of energy, run through the Evian defence but his shot was well wide. Frédéric Antonetti’s players were well in control of the game, and did not need to force their talent in order to counter the Evian XI.
However, Kévin Bérigaud replaied at the thirty-seventh, with a good shot difficultly parried into a corner-kick by Costil. This was the first real chance for Evian. The last attack in this first half came from Evian Thonon Gaillard again. At the conclusion of a good team move, Barbosa tested Costil with a good shot from twenty-five metres. At the end of a pretty unexciting first half, Rennes had done the most important and came back to the dressing rooms with a one goal lead. However, the “Rouge et Noir” were warned: they would have to remain focus in the second half or face a few scares, since Pablo Correa’s players showed better intentions after the Bretons opened the score.

From kick-off, Erding nearly managed to overrun the Evian goalkeeper, but the latter managed to deny the Rennes striker with a bit of luck. Immediately after, Govou received the ball in Rennes’ penalty area but the former international forward missed the target after finding himself surprisingly alone in front of the Breton goal. Rennes had gone close to concede the equaliser, and Pablo Correa could feel unlucky not to be rewarded for their efforts. At the 53rd minute, Mavinga found Julien Féret, who curled the ball beautifully to beat the Savoyard keeper (2-0, 53’). Rennes had managed a break thanks to a magnificent goal by their playmaker. Without being particularly inspired, Frédéric Antonetti had managed a consequent lead. At the hour, Bérigaud launched Barbosa in the Rennes area, but the former Rennais couldn’t hit the target. Once again, Evian Thonon Gaillard had missed a good opportunity. Seconds later, Yacine Brahimi who had just replaced Jirès Kembo, hit a free-kick easily blocked by the Evian goalkeeper
However, at the 57th minute, Brahimi sprinted through the Evian side and placed a good shot that left Andersen beaten. The Savoyard goalkeeper conceded his third goal of the game. (3-0, 67’). The game could have been over but a few seconds later, Rennes defender Kana-Biyik shoved Farina in his own penalty area. The game’s referee, Mr Fauter, awarded the spot-kick which was converted by Bérigaud (3-1, 70’). Three minutes later, Sidney Govou didn’t give a chance to Costil and allowed his team to believe in their chances once again (3-2, 73’). The game was back on and became completely crazy. Erding, in two occasions, was close to opening his tally with the Rennes shirt. In vain, since the new Rennes striker could not get the ball at the back of the net.

Evian started building up the pressure in Rennes’s side, and gave frights to the courageous Bretons supporters of the night. The final ten minutes were gripping, and both teams had clear chances to affect the score-line, in one or the other direction. Three minutes before the end of regular time, Barbosa blasted the ball on Benoît Costil’s crossbar. On the counter-attack, Montaño wasn’t quick enough to beat the Evian goalkeeper. Eventually, the three minutes of injury-time didn’t bring any more goals, despite a last shot by Doumbia.

At the end of an action-packed second half, Frédéric Antonetti’s players obtained their tickets for the quarter-finals of the Coupe de France. Despite big scares in the final minutes, Stade Rennes is now a hundred and eighty minutes away from a return to the Stade de France.

Match Facts

STADE RENNAIS FC 3 - 2 EVIAN THONON GAILLARD FC (half-time: 1-0)

Coupe de France, Round of 16
Tuesday, February 7 th 2012, 18:00

Stade de la route de Lorient
Attendance : About 5 000 spectators

Referee : Fredy Fautrel

Goals : Kembo (21’), Féret (53’) and Brahimi (67e) for Rennes. Bérigaud (70’ pen.), Govou (73’) for Evian Thonon Gaillard.

Yellow Cards : Mangane (39’) , Kana-Biyik (68’) and M’Vila (80’) for Rennes ; Barbosa (23’) and Poulsen (83’) for Evian.

- Stade rennais FC : Costil - Mavinga, Mangane (cap), Kana-Biyik, Théophile-Catherine - M’Vila, Doumbia, Féret - Kembo (Brahimi, 51’), Erding, Pitroipa (Montaño, 77’).

Manager: Frédéric Antonetti.

- Evian Thonon Gaillard FC : Andersen - Dja Djédjé, Angoula (Cambon, 71’), Mongongu, Ehret - Kahlenberg (Farina, 64’), Poulsen, Sorlin, Barbosa - Bérigaud, Govou.

Manager: Pablo Correa.