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Late Double Blow Sinks Lille While Nice Win AgainStade Rennais 2-1 Lille OSC |
| For the second time in just three weeks, Rennes would score two stoppage time goals to salvage points from an unlikely position. Trailing to a first half strike from Yohan Cabaye, Guy Lacombe’s side would toil to break their opponents down before doing so twice late on. A free-kick from Bruno Cheyrou (pictured right) induced the equaliser before a late Sow strike won the match.
Temperamental forward Jimmy Briand had made a surprising return to the Rennes squad after declaring himself fit. Immediately the quick forward was thrust into the starting eleven of les Rouge et Noirs, playing alongside Mickael Pagis in attack. PSG’s former target created the home side’s first real opening of the game as he would ultimately force a visiting defender to turn his cross away for a corner with the goal gaping and Thomert closing in. At the opposite end of the field Mangane would be forced into a similar clearance as Cabaye centred dangerously for Obraniak but not before the Franco-Polish midfielder had struck a dangerous daisy-cutter goalwards minutes earlier, forcing the first real save of note for Douchez. Play was swinging from end-to-end in five minute bursts, Rennes controlling the next brief period of play. This would be the most intense pressure levelled upon goal in the match, culminating in Malicki making a low block from a tight-angled Pagis drive before watching as Thomert’s header from the recovered ball drifted away. Lille, who have been so profligate in their opening two matches of the season, drew themselves ahead of their Breton opponents with a fine goal only moments after repelling another wave of home attacks. Michel Bastos played an astute pass to French under-21 international Yohan Cabaye, whose low drive towards the corner of the net proved telling. Last season Lille’s defence was noteworthy but conceded cheaply against Le Mans last weekend. Head coach Rudy Garcia was to take no chances, shutting play down until the interval. This pattern would continue after the break as Rennes struggled to make a great deal of headway into the Lille rearguard. Lacking sufficient guile to break their guests down, Guy Lacombe’s side were restricted to efforts from distance but neither Hansson nor Gyan could find the target. A rare moment of subtlety nearly unlocked the Lille door but Malicki was swiftly out to field Thomert’s intelligent low cross. It would take Rennes 40 second half minutes to carve out even a half chance. Gyan, who was looking increasingly dangerous, smacked a hard effort at goal from an unlikely angle that Malicki forced away with his legs. The pressure was gradually building on the Lille goal as Rennes piled players forward. Fanni was denied by the home goalkeeper before Lille won a free-kick just outside the box with 91 minutes played. Bruno Cheyrou fired the ball into the box dangerously, with a large deflection leaving goalkeeper Malicki completely wrong-footed. Unbelievably, Rennes would strike again, four minutes into time added on. A hopeful punt forward was flicked on by Hansson towards Moussa Sow, who forced the ball home from ten yards out. AJ Auxerre 0-1 OGC Nice Alaeddine Yahia’s first goal for Nice since signing from Sedan in January proved decisive as le Gym claimed their second victory in-a-row with a comfortable victory over an impotent Auxerre side. Nice have had few problems scoring goals this season. Playing in an ambitious 4-3-3 system, clearly Frédéric Antonetti’s tactics were to impose their style on their hosts. After eight minutes this nearly paid dividends as a loose ball fell to Bamogo, whose beautifully struck shot fizzled just wide of goal. Undoubtedly Nice’s most potent threat in the early weeks of the season has been ex-Lyon man Loïc Rémy. He was a menace to the Auxerre defence, streaking down the left-flank to centre for Traoré, whose firm header narrowly missed Riou’s goal. The match was by no means dominated by Nice. Auxerre had their share of the ball but appeared largely impotent and were reduced to mediocre efforts from distance. Such was the domination of the visitors in terms of chances created, it was no surprise that they grabbed the lead. Their goal was a simple one. David Hellebuyck’s wand-like left-foot delivered a fine free-kick into the box that was headed into the net by Alaeddine Yahia. It could easily have been 2-0 moments later. As Auxerre were reeling from Nice’s opening blow, Bamogo bullied his way past Coulibaly before smacking a shot off the home crossbar. Refocused by this close-to-fatal blow, Auxerre went about reasserting their presence on the match. AJA were granted the perfect chance to do so when Oliech was brought down by Letizi in the penalty box. From 12 yards, Kévin Lejeune lacked conviction and sent his kick spinning haplessly wide. Nice did not seem to be particularly encouraged by this let-off, taking their time to get going in the second half, focusing mainly on shutting down the introduced danger of Daniel Niculae. But Auxerre continued to offer little in front of goal, allowing le Gym to continue in the ascendancy. Hellebuyck’s right foot is not as accurate as his left, thankfully for Auxerre, as the ex-PSG man sent a powerful volley crashing wide of target with his weaker foot. Pedretti attempted to inspire his side, sending a dangerous corner narrowly out of reach from Grichting and Jelen in the penalty area as Auxerre built for a strong conclusion. This would never arrive as too often they lost possession cheaply while Nice’s defence shut the game down expertly despite being pegged back into their own half for long periods. |
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