Brest (AFP)

Rennes got off to a bad start in its essential fortnight between the European play-off and the championship, settling for a new 1-1 draw in Brest in a disputed match on Sunday for the second day of Ligue 1.

For this first in a series of five matches in 15 days, between the play-off for the group stage of the Europa League Conference against the Norwegians of Rosenberg (August 19 and 26) and a series of derbies (Brest, Nantes and Angers), Rennes hoped much better than this close match, which only settled in the last ten minutes with two goals in quick succession.

For the occasion, Bruno Genesio had even aligned together for the first time his two small bombs, Jérémy Doku and Kamaldeen Sulemana, explosive wingers of 19 years, and chose to leave on the bench the Rennes nugget Eduardo Camavinga, transparent last week facing in Lens (1-1).

Back from a good Euro with Belgium, Doku however missed a golden opportunity from the first minutes, on a low cross from Martin Terrier that he sent next to the empty cage (3rd).

Belgian striker from Rennes Jérémy Doku, grappling with Brest midfielder Franck Honoratt, during their L1 match, August 15, 2021 at Stade Francis Le Blé Fred TANNEAU AFP

If Rennes took control and tried to put the pace, Bruno Genesio's men struggled to get other opportunities, often content to try to launch one or the other of their two wingers.

- The Douaron responds to Guirassy -

Both made several demonstrations of speed and power but without finding the loophole in the Brest defense.

It was finally another youngster, midfielder Lesley Ugochukwu, 17, who thrilled the supporters with an acrobatic return over the goal (39th).

When the Brestois recovered, well led by an omnipresent Romain Faivre, they came closer to the Rennes goal, with deflected strikes by goalkeeper Alfred Gomis (25th, 28th) and a diving header from Steve Mounié repelled by the pole.

At the start of the second half, Rennes tried to put pressure again, but came up against Brest goalkeeper Marco Bizot, who arrived in early August and already preferred to Gautier Larsonneur, the native of the country.

The Dutch international repelled a not very strong strike from Doku (56th).

And once again, it was the Brestois who got the best opportunities, with a header from Mounié who grazed the frame (61st), then a duel lost by the Brest flyer against the Rennes goalkeeper (68th).

In the end, it was the substitutes who found the way to the net with two pricked heads.

First Serhou Guirassy, ​​entered 10 minutes earlier at the forefront of the attack, who rose above the Brest defense to open the scoring on a cross from Birger Meling (0-1, 84th).

The striker Serhou Guirassy (2nd d), is congratulated by his teammates, after opening the scoring against Brest, during the 2nd day of L1, August 15, 2021 at the Stade Françis Le Blé Fred TANNEAU AFP

Then the young Jérémy Le Douaron, who equalized in added time on a cross from Franck Honorat (1-1, 90th + 1).

© 2021 AFP