FC Lorient won their Breton derby with Stade Rennais FC 2-1 on Friday, but Terem Moffi was conspicuous by his absence.
Moffi has been on fire for les Merlus this season, the Nigeria striker plundering a team-high 12 goals at a rate of one every 116 minutes he has played, but they didn't use him this time.
Instead, Montassar Talbi and the manager's nephew Théo Le Bris got their goals at the Stade du Moustoir, wth Flavien Tait's late strike for Rennes proving nothing more than a consolation.
"Terem's very coveted," said Régis Le Bris after the game. "He needs to take stock and today he wasn't in a condition to play at 100 per cent. For us, it's good that Ibra Koné and others can build upon the team's efforts.
"This team has resources, I had no doubt about it, but it's good that we did it at the Moustoir, in a Breton derby and with this scenario, that the team has strength in depth."
Lorient haver now closed to within two points of fifth-placed Rennes, and therefore the final European place in Ligue 1 Uber Eats.
Rennes beat Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in their previous league outing, but they have lost each of their last three games on the road. Le Bris' opposite number Bruno Génésio didn't pull any punches at full-time.
"We started the game like tourists!" he stormed. "The system can be an explanation, it's not an excuse. But with this system, 15 days ago, we beat Paris. In football, there are fundamentals to respect. When you don't win any balls, you lose all the duels, whatever the system, it can't work."
