Raphinha scored his first Ligue 1 Uber Eats goal of the season, but league leaders Stade Rennais had to settle for a point with a 2-2 draw at home to Stade de Reims on Sunday. Monaco were surprisingly beaten at Brest, Bordeaux downed Dijon and Lille swept past Strasbourg.
THE MATCH
With new signings Martin Terrier (injured), Dalbert (suspended), Daniele Rugani and Alfred Gomis (not match fit) all missing, Rennes boss Julien Stéphan's starting XI had a familiar look to it at Roazhon Park.
The Bretons had been hugely impressive in beating AS Saint-Étienne 3-0 last time out, but had lost their last four top-flight meetings with Reims without scoring a single goal — when Yunis Abdelhamid headed home Arber Zeneli's corner just 11 minutes in, the hosts might have feared the worst.
They had, however, already threatened through Benjamin Bourigeaud (6') and Raphinha (7'), and so there was no panic in the home ranks as they built patiently, and were rewarded when Raphinha played a one-two with Serhou Guirassy — the striker's backheeled return was a delight — and equalised with a crisp shot (24').
Romain Salin, keeping the gloves warm for Gomis, beat away a Zeneli shot at the near post (30'), but Rennes soon stole in front. When Reims failed to clear Raphinha's corner, Damien da Silva threw himself forward at the back post to head home from close range (37').
Guirassy, who had scored three times in his first three starts since his summer arrival from Amiens SC, wasted a great chance to make it 3-1 before the break, but smashed his effort wildly beyond Predrag Rajkovic's goal (41').
Injured in the first half, Rajkovic was forced to make way for Yehvann Diouf, who — at 21 — made his Ligue 1 Uber Eats debut, and he watched Boulaye Dia cause the first scare of the second half, fizzing an effort just over the crossbar (49').
Salin was then forced to tip over an El Bilal Touré lob (50'), but could do little when Dia — played through by Dereck Kutesa — held off Sacha Boey and fired the equaliser in off a post to register his third goal in five top-flight matches (66').
Rennes almost snatched it in the dying seconds, but Steven Nzonzi's header ricocheted off a post (90+1') as Rennes missed out on a fifth successive league win, but stretched their unbeaten start to six matches.
THE PLAYER: Boulaye Dia
The powerful forward has — unlike his club — had a flying start to the season, and claimed a precious point for his team with a confident finish. David Guion will be hoping Dia and Zeneli can give the side the cutting edge they have been lacking.
THE STAT: 5
Rennes missed out on a fifth successive home win in L1. It would have been the second time they had achieved the feat under Stéphan having only previously managed to do so three times this century.
Elsewhere in France on Sunday, Bordeaux registered their first home win since January 2020 and cut loose in front of goal after failing to score at the Matmut Atlantique in their first three home matches this season — a Ligue 1 Uber Eats first — as they beat Dijon 3-0. Rémi Oudin (12') and Samuel Kalu (29') had the hosts ahead by the break with Toma Basic adding the third late on (89').
There were also three goals for Metz — all scored by Ibrahima Niane — as they stretched their unbeaten streak to three games with a 3-1 defeat of FC Lorient. LOSC Lille remain in touch with the early season frontrunners with a 3-0 win at RC Strasbourg Alsace — Zeki Celik (21'), Renato Sanches (54') and Burak Yilmaz (67') got the goals. AS Monaco lost ground, however, as Niko Kovac's men were beaten 1-0 in Brest — Romain Faivre, who signed for the Breton hosts from Monaco this summer, got the only goal of the game (8').
>> TRANSFERS: Rennes sign Dalbert, Rugani
>> MATCH REPORT: Ripart gives Nîmes derby win at Montpellier
