After two weeks of international break, Rennais and Lensois plunged back into the intense battle raging in the heights of Ligue 1, Saturday evening at Roazhon Park. On Breton soil, the Sang et Or struck a blow by offering themselves an important poster in the race for the podium and European places (0-1).
What you must remember :
But where will RC Lens stop? Sensation of this Ligue 1 season, the artesian formation never ceases to impress. On his list this season, Monaco, Rennes already, but also Lyon, Marseille and PSG. All the big names in our Championship have broken their teeth at least once on Franck Haise’s training. For the Rennais, it’s now two. Suffocating and conquering, Racing posed many problems for the Bretons, saved by a still very good Steve Mandanda.
Two weeks after his capital performance against Paris Saint-Germain, the retired Blues confirmed his importance in the Rennes goal, impeccable on his line in front of Facundo Medina (9th) and clean when it was necessary to intervene in the feet of the Lensois attackers. If he delayed the deadline, he could not do anything on the winning whim of Loïs Openda (0-1, 31st), author of his 15th goal in Ligue 1 this season. Rennes’ response almost intervened barely a minute later, but Medina deflected Benjamin Bourigeaud’s shot on his bar in extremis (32nd). Karl Toko-Ekambi missed the goal to confirm the burst of Rennes (44th).
The Bretons pushed to come back, exposing themselves to the formidable Openda counter that Seko Fofana finally spoiled (54th). While the pressure was strong at the end of the match, Brice Samba demonstrated that his international status was not usurped on a strike from Arnaud Kalimuendo (71st), before being saved by the offside position of the almost goalscorer Warmed Omari (87th). RC Lens gritted their teeth and chained a third victory in a row in the Championship. The Lensois took advantage of this to steal second place from OM, held in check by Montpellier on Friday evening. Stoppage for Rennes, fifth ten points from the podium.
The player: Lois “Air” Openda
After two months without scoring, Loïs Openda has once again become the RCL scoring machine. In line with his thunderous hat-trick before the break against Clermont, the 23-year-old Belgian striker showed that he had regained all the confidence that animated him in the first half of the Championship. Headed scorer after staying in the air for long seconds on a perfect cross from Florian Sotoca (31st), precious as a fulcrum and in all the good offensive shots of his team as on this dazzling counter (54th) , Openda did very badly. He has scored 6 Ligue 1 goals in his last 3 games.
The number: 3
Rennes have lost 3 of their last 4 home games in Ligue 1 (1 win), having won 10 of the first 11 this season (1 loss). The SRFC lost 2 consecutive matches on their land in the elite for the first time since December 2021 (2).
