Rennes won’t have to worry
Europa League, Rustavi 2 - 5 Stade Rennais. For their first competitive game of the season, Rennes didn’t miss out to their duty. Dominant, the Bretons easily beat a Georgian team rapidly reduced to ten men and which opened wide spaces. They should have no trouble to validate their qualification during the return leg, next Thursday.
Beaten in their last five European games on the road, Stade Rennes experienced no real difficulties during their trip to Georgia, and managed their entrance in the Europa League in the best of ways. Antonetti’s men were rapidly in control of the game, as the Rennes manager had fielded a very expected squad: the same players lined up during the second half on Saturday, during the friendly game against Lorient, except for Kana-Biyik replacing Boye, and Doumbia replacing Mandjeck.
After a few minutes of observation, Stade Rennais managed a first entrance into the Georgian zone when Brahimi ran clear on the wing (8’). The first clear chance was for Féret who, on a pass by Boukari, failed to straighten the ball’s trajectory after running past the goalkeeper (14’). Hyperactive at the front of the Breton attack, Boukari opened the score three minutes later, blasting a shot across to the goal after a good piece of work on the right wing (0-1, 17’).
A double for Boukari…
Rennes pushed, and made the most of the spaces left by Rustavi to develop the sort of attacking play they missed at the end of last season. At the 27th minute, Brahimi was fouled in the Georgian area as he seemed to run to goal. The referee showed the penalty spot and dismissed the defender Murvelashvili. Taken by Boukari, the penalty-kick was pushed away by Bediashvili. On the following action, the former Lensois made up for his miss by scoring the second part of his brace: Beautifully served by Féret, he had nothing to do but push the ball in an empty net (0-2, 31’).
Rennes were having an easy game and were largely dominant, but a missile by Japaridze, from outside the penalty area, reminded the Rennais that a Georgian reaction was still possible (1-2, 41’). The game went mad: on the action following Rennes’ kick-off, Pitroipa replied with a beautiful shot in the goal corner since the corner of the area (1-2, 42’). At half time, Antonetti’s men could be globally satisfied with their collective performance.
... and a brace for Pitroipa
Stade Rennes entered the second half in the best of ways. On an ideally positioned free-kick at the entrance of the area, Féret beat Batiashvili, entered at half-time, with a superbly curled shot (1-4, 48’). Then, on a questionable penalty, Rustavi came back through a goal by Razmadze (2-4, 56’). Rennes remained in control of a game which, the heat helping, started dropping considerably in terms of intensity. Frédéric Antonetti saw it and decided to rotate his squad, bringing in Camara et Montaño.
The Colombian striker would soon prove him right, offering the brace to Pitroipa at the conclusion of a nice one-two (2-5, 70’). Rennes released the pressure in the latest stages of the game. The job was done: With a 5-2 victory in Tbilisi, the Bretons can rest serenely before the return leg, next Thursday at the Route de Lorient, against an opponent which shouldn’t be threatening their European future.
Match Facts
METALURGI RUSTAVI 2 - 5 STADE RENNAIS FC (half-time : 1-3)
Europa League, 3rd Qualifying Round
Thursday, July 28th 2011, 19:00
Stade national Boris Paichadze (Tbilisi, Georgia)
Attendance : about 5000 spectators
Referee: Marios Panayi
Goals : Boukari (17’, 30’), Pitroipa (42’, 70’) and Féret (49’) for Rennes ; Japaridze (41’) and Razmadze (56’) for Rustavi.
Yellow Cards: Razmadze (25’), Kobalia (74’) for Rustavi.
Red Card: Murvelashvili (28’) for Rustavi.
- Stade Rennais FC : Costil - Danzé, Mangane, Kana-Biyik, Théophile-Catherine - Doumbia, Féret, M’Vila - Pitroipa (Tettey, 72’), Boukari (Montaño, 65’), Brahimi (Camara, 61’).
Manager : Frédéric Antonetti.
- Metalurgi Rustavi : Bediashvili (Batiashvili, 46’) - Murvelashvili, Orbeladze, Kvakhadze, Japaridze - Mikaberidze (Makhviladze, 32’), Razmadze, Maisuradze, Getsadze (Tkemaladze, 67’) - Kobalia, Modebadze.
Manager : Armaz Jeladze.