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Rennes are runners-up.

  • Connor Gordon
  • May 3, 2014
  • 4 min read

The final of the Coupe de France saw Guingamp beat Breton neighbours, Stade Rennais with a two goal victory at the Stade de France in Paris.

Guingamp and Rennes had met previously in the 2009 final with Guingamp coming out eventual winners by two goals to one. It was something to be proud of for Guingamp, as the team is from a small countryide town and have season ticket holders twice the number of the population.

The first half kicked off with a very lively atmosphere, both fans waving the flag of Brittany and their own respective team. It took a while for the game to finally settle down with Rennes having the better of the possession between the two teams.

Guingamp were the first team to have something to cheer about as a long ball played over the top the Rennes defence was called as offside. This began a half of dominance for the countryside club. Crosses and long balls were the main feature of the first half with Guingamp trying to locate their target men. Guingamp had the best chance to score when a cross along the box was met with a poor connection which hit Rennes' goalkeeper, Benoit Costil on the legs. The corner was cleared by Rennes and the resulting header back into the box defeated the offside trap but Guingamp couldn't capitalize forcing a header of the bar.

Guingamp earned a few freekick is good crossing position and they were used to full potential as Costil's left post seen a selection go by it. Rennes had their first real attack through Grosicki but the attack was phased out and reach the Guingamp goalkeeper, Marnadou Samassa without any bother.

Rennes had a freekick of their own from distance but once again the goalkeeper collected without any bother.Guingamp were allowed space to run down their right side and with the defenders under pressure, they pushed away from the attacker and the resulting shot outside the box and along the ground reached Costil. Rennes took a page out of Guingamp's book with Alessandrini's deflected cross reaching the goalkeeper.

The game began to become more quiet and as a result a Mexican wave by both team's fans showed their opinion on the way the game was going. The game was not quiet for long when Rennes couldn't clear their lines from a corner and the second ball fell to Jonathan Pereira just inside the box and a volley was blasted to the left of Costil-Guingamp were in front. A few minutes later, in similar fashion a Rennes chipped ball was tipped over the bar by the goalkeeper. Rennes' front three were isolated due to great defending from Guingamp and poor service from the midfield. Guingamp were making better use of the ball every time they had it- looking like scoring at each attack going into half-time.

Guingamp kicked off the second half and immediately went back to what they done so well at in the first half- crossing the ball. The first attempting to do so was successful with a free header by Yatabare being directed under Costil and into the net, doubling the lead of Guingamp. Rennes now had to turn notch the gears to the highest they could and went all out attack. A corner by Rennes ended up in a scramble in the box with the goalkeeper being injured during a foul. The great atmosphere generated by the Rennes fans had gone and the game got quiet too.

A quick attacking change saw Grosicki come off for Ntep hoping that the super-sub will have the same effect as he had done in previous matches. Guingamp turned their tactics to a more defensive route restricting the Red and Blacks to shot from outside the box, with Doucoure coming closest as his effort was turned wide. A counter-attack from Guingamp almost increased their lead as a cross was glanced onto goalscorer Yatabare who's tap towards goal was saved by Costil's feet.

The focus turned back to Rennes' attempt for a goal and came close when Paul-Georges Ntep had his short cross bizarrely missing every player in the box. The possession of Rennes never annoyed the fans of Guingamp as they sarcastically cheered any pass made by their opponents. When Guingamp received the ball they showed their composure, strolling the ball about the field and stretching the Rennes defence. The offside trap was the enemy of Rennes once again but like the last time the effort was poor from Guingamp.

It looked like Rennes had given up on the game and knew that it was all but over with poor crosses in the box was nobody attacking them, the clinical touch was missing from their play. Rennes had half chances to present a goal with close freekicks but none of them were troubling the goalkeeper who in large had a fairly quiet night. The Guingamp technical area was buzzing with excitement and counting the time down, and when it did they all burst onto the field to congratulate their colleagues, they had done it for the second time in 5 years- beat Rennes to a Coupe de France.

 
 
 

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