Stade de Reims 2-2 Stade Rennais | Match Report

Stade de Reims drew with Stade Rennais in a match that was action packed and filled with controversy.

Rennes opened the scoring just before half time through Jérémie Boga but this was cancelled out on 59 minutes when Aïssa Mandi leveled the match. Reims then took the lead when Nicholas De Préville marked his third of the season. The last goal of the game came from Polish international, Kamil Grosicki.

Before the kick-off, the main talking point for the fans was the omission of Juan Quintero from the Rennes starting 11. The under fire manager, Philippe Montanier, made another surprising decision by playing on-loan Chelsea attacker, Boga, up front. Meanwhile Reims manager, Olivier Guégan, and his squad were on a run of five defeats in a row and looking to get back on a positive footing.

Reims looked like the much stronger team from the off as Rennes struggled to regain possession and get the ball out of their half. Diego Rigonato had been their main focal point in attack and he was definitely causing his opponents problems. His first shot on target made Benoit Costil pull off an unconvincing stop and definitely boosted the confidence of his fans.

However it wasn't only the Rennes stopper saving uncleanly in the match. Between the sticks at the other end, Kossi Agassa made a feeble long-ranger from Yacouba Sylla look threatening as he failed to hold it cleanly.

Nevertheless, Reims held the balance of power in the game, dominating the possession stats and manufactured more shots. They could have taken the lead when David Ngog jostled through the box to cut the ball back across goal. Unfortunately there was no one there to tap the ball into an empty net.

Just before the referee blew on the whistle for half time, Rennes took a surprising lead through Jérémie Boga. Plaudits have to go to Grosicki who controlled a long pass and headed down to Boga who dribbled by Franck Signorino and slotted by Agassa. The lead illustrated that teams can have all the possession and shots, yet all that matters is what is on the scoreboard.

A second period for the neutral

It took a while before the second half produced anything close to a goal scoring opportunity. Grosicki wriggled his way deep into the Reims penalty area but could only muster up a powerful strike with no direction.

Reims then got the game back to a level footing when Aissa Mandi scored in bizarre circumstances. A lofted free kick into the box made the Rennes back-line collectively push forward, however the scorer wasn't picked up in an onside position and couldn't miss from close range with zero pressure on him.

The game took a sour turn when Reims creative architect Rigonato had to go off due to injury. Steven Moreira kneed the attacker on the coccyx, leaving him grounded and howling in pain. He had to be lifted by his arms and legs as he was replaced by Odaïr Fortes. Things got even worse for Reims when Jaba Kankava was given his second yellow card for a bad tackle on Benjamin Andre. After the commotion had died down, manager , Olivier Guégan, was sent to the stands for his protestations.

Just when the match couldn't give anymore shocks and drama than it already had, Reims took the lead. Nicholas De Préville cut in from the left-wing and tried audacious chip from outside the box which dipped over Costil and sent the home fans wild. They were aggravated at the previous incidents and it was a case of justice served in their opinion.

Nevertheless, Reims were still a man light and a manager down going into a tense last 20 minutes. Rennes bumped up the pressure and went more attack-minded. Henrique and Andre both passed up decent chances in good areas without reply from the opposition who just tried to hold on. The surprises just kept coming when out of nowhere, De Preville smacked the post- punishing the offensive Rennes side.

The eventual Rennes equaliser was always coming no matter how hard the Reims defence worked. Substitute, Ousmane Dembélé, under the challenge of Signorino, broke down the right and passed across from the byline. Grosicki met the ball and curled a shot to the far left post. A goal and an assist for the Pole will only show the manager how much he gives to the team.

Before the final whistle, both teams missed excellent chances to gain the lead once again. Rennes' substitute striker, Giovanni Sio, ended a promising attacking move by shooting inches by the target while Antoine Devaux glanced a header at the back post off-target.

#reims #rennes #22