Villeneuve-d'Ascq (AFP)

The Stade Rennes lost (1-0) in Lille on Tuesday during the 23rd day of L1 and relaunched the race for the podium unintentionally: here is the Losc just three points behind the Bretons, third.

Four days after a stunning success in the derby against Nantes (3-2), Rennes, who had three wins and one draw away, saw their streak end at the worst moment, on the pitch. a direct competitor.

The Losc won thanks to a goal by Loïc Rémy at the very start of the game (4th) and chained after his success in snatching in Strasbourg on Saturday (2-1).

Julien Stéphan's players keep their third place with 40 points, but missed the opportunity to put pressure on Marseille, who are three lengths ahead of them and could escape if they succeed on Wednesday at Saint-Etienne.

"We lost logically throughout the match even if we do not have to be ashamed of our second period (..) We have a young squad and we know that we will have to fight. We must not panic because "We lost a match and we were a little worse," said the Breton technician.

Rennes was surprised at the start: Jonathan Ikoné intercepted a pass from Raphinha and launched Rémy, who controlled before triggering a powerful strike which came in with the help of the right post of Edouard Mendy (1-0 , 4th).

After a great breakthrough, the former Rennes captain Benjamin André then over-crushed his strike to worry Mendy (16th).

The first Breton attempt came shortly after, on a long shot from Raphinha captured by Mike Maignan (21st).

- Raphinha comes out injured -

The Lille goalkeeper then narrowly diverted a fleeing center from Flavien Tait in front of the Brazilian (28th), who had to give way to Romain Del Castillo a few minutes later due to low back pain, explained his coach after the meeting (34th ).

Just before half-time, Mendy saved Stade Rennes by repelling a point-blank shot from northern scorer Victor Osimhen, served by a heel by Ikoné (43rd).

From the resumption, Rennes got scared with two new clear opportunities for Osimhen, who unscrewed his shot (48th) and Jonathan Bamba, whose shot was braked before being caught by Mendy (50th).

But, little by little, Julien Stéphan's men woke up and started to be dangerous. Thus, on a corner beautifully shot by Benjamin Bourigeaud at the far post, Damien Da Silva returned to the center line and Gabriel had to disengage in disaster before Joris Gnagnon (65th).

Then after a center set back from Faitout Mouassa captured in two stages by Maignan (68th), Tait was on the verge of equalizing on a coiled strike came to lick the left post from Lille (70th).

The international goalkeeper of Losc was then vigilant to divert a long shot from Bourigeaud (84th).

Meanwhile, Bamba had scared Mendy of an acrobatic recovery which came to die just above the crossbar (72).

Rennes will have to react on Saturday during a Breton derby against Brest, under penalty of seeing all its pursuers melt on it.

© 2020 AFP