THE MATCH

With Marseille's game at Saint-Etienne — originially scheduled for late Saturday evening — postponed until Sunday, Rennes knew a sixth consecutive victory would take them two points clear of OM in second place in the Ligue 1 Uber Eats table.

It would also put five points between themselves and Nice, who started the game just a place behind the Bretons, who boasted the division's best attack and were testing themselves against the league's meanest defence.

Nice could also claim second place for themselves with three points, and Christophe Galtier's side, who had won four of their last five league outings at the Allianz Riviera, put an early warning shot across the Rennes bows through Amine Gouiri's curling effort (4').

It was Rennes who dominated the opening exchanges though with their possession ratio reaching 60 per cent as Galtier resorted to the counter-attacking tactics that had served him so well against Paris Saint-Germain and other heavyweights of the French top flight.

Though on the front foot for much of the time, Rennes failed to muster a serious shot on goal whereas Nice made the most of their frugal time on the ball: Andy Delort tested Dogan Alemdar having been teed up by Pablo Rosario (32') before Walter Benitez at the opposite end watched anxiously as Benjamin Bourigeaud's free-kick passed just wide of the far top corner (44').

Nice's Argentine goalkeeper, who recently obtained French citizenship, came closer to conceding the opening goal just after the break. Terrier lived up to his name as he harrassed Youcef Atal into losing possession, and when the ball broke for Gaëtan Laborde he stepped away from Jean-Clair Todibo before striking a post with his left-foot shot (52').

Nice exploited their good fortune to take the lead 15 minutes later. Rennes' domination continued to be territorial and sterile while the hosts were more clinical. Delort allowed the ball to run out to Atal on the right, and the Algeria full-back then flicked an inviting ball with the outside of his right boot for his international teammate to place a header beyond Alemdar (67') and take his league goals tally into double figures for the season.

Terrier already passed that milestone some time ago, and the former Lyon, Lille and Strasbourg forward extended his personal best single-season tally to 17 by grabbing a deserved equaliser 12 minutes from time. 

Terrier himself won a free-kick for a foul by Todibo, and then rose above Dante at the near post to head Bourigeaud's delivery beyond Benitez, glancing the ball across the Nice goalkeeper and into the far corner (78').

Atal was crucially placed on the post when Warmed Omari turned the ball goalwards after a penalty box scramble (86'), Benitez stood up to Terrier to parry the forward's chip (88') and Baptiste Santamaria went close with a header (90') as Rennes pushed feverishly in the closing stages, but Nice kept themselves in the hunt for a top-three finish and gave Marseille the opportunity to pull clear in second place.

THE PLAYER: Martin Terrier

What a season the Rennes forward is having. When Laborde arrived at Roazhon Park last season, it was expected the former Montpellier striker would grab the lion's share of goals, but he's been outshone by his partner, who salvaged his team a point from the Côte d'Azur trip.

THE STAT: 1

Nice have lost just one of their last 14 league encounters with Rennes — this was the fifth draw in that run.

>> MATCH PREVIEW: Saint-Etienne vs. Marseille