Brest (AFP)

Rennes relaunched in the race for European places by snatching a 2-1 victory against catchy Brestois, during a Breton derby under the sun, Sunday at the Francis Le Blé stadium.

Slowed down last week by Nantes (0-0) and Lyon (2-2), Rennes was refueled again to return to Monaco (4th with 36 points) a week before receiving Lille, eminent member of the trio of head with Paris SG and Lyon.

On the other hand, it is a disappointment for the Brestois, who had not lost at home since October and remain 11th with 26 points, despite an explosive start to the match.

Dozens of supporters have indeed cracked smoke in the street behind the stadium at kickoff, to encourage their team before this derby behind closed doors.

The explosions were still ringing when Romain Perraud centered for Franck Honorat: Romaine Salin repelled his first strike but could not do anything against the second (1-0, 4th).

But a few minutes later, when silence returned in the empty stadium, Jérémy Doku threw Martin Terrier deep to the right.

The former Lyonnais centered and found the left leg of Benjamin Bourigeaud at the far post (1-1, 7th).

- Stirring Brest -

The game was then balanced, with a tough battle in the middle of the field, where Julien Stéphan had aligned together, like last week against OL, the four assets that had hitherto succeeded one another on the ground: Bourigeaud, Camavinga, Nzonzi and Grenier.

But they who had succeeded in extinguishing the Lyonnais for 75 minutes had to face Brestois still very restless and without complexes, who created the clearest opportunities.

Thus, served back to goal in the box, Steve Mounié managed to turn around, but to find the post (28th).

Irvin Cardona involuntarily found himself in the path of a point blank shot from Ronaël Pierre-Gabriel (32nd).

And Salin pushed back a header from Brendan Chardonnet (56th).

Opposite, the Rennais only had to put in their mouths a ground strike too crossed from Terrier after a nice collective movement (44th) and a distant strike from Camavinga diverted by Larsonneur (64th).

Until referee Ruddy Buquet pointed to the penalty spot, when Adrien Truffert was hit with Honorat's studs in the back for a corner clearance.

Grenier was responsible for transforming with a strike in the axis (1-2, 77th).

The Brestois continued to press but two heads of Mounié passed just next to the cage (82nd and 87th).

And the crossbar sent a third header into the feet of Romain Philippoteaux, whose recovery went just above (89th).

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