Lille can have big regrets... Like last weekend in Lyon, where they conceded an undeserved defeat (1-0), Lille still lost two precious points in the race for European places.

Ineffective against a heroic Steve Mandanda, they were also very unfortunate by hitting the post three times.

The Mastiffs had quickly opened the scoring thanks to their captain José Fonte, who had taken advantage of an error by Mandanda (16th), but the Bretons equalized from the penalty spot by Benjamin Bourigeaud (58th).

After this second draw of the season, Losc is in seventh place with 23 points, a total which should be much higher.

Stade Rennes will be satisfied with this point snatched on the lawn of a direct competitor, after five successes in a row in the Championship.

Three days after playing on the European stage, he indeed seemed to lack ideas and juice but retains his third with 28 units on the clock.

Bruno Genesio's team played in its usual 4-3-3 with Amine Gouiri, Arnaud Kalimuendo and Benjamin Bourigeaud in attack, in the absence of Martin Terrier, victim of a muscle injury to a thigh Thursday in the Europa League against AEK Larnaca (1-1).

For this shock, the northern coach Paulo Fonseca aligned his usual 4-2-3-1 but innovated by establishing Timothy Weah as right-back.

In the absence of Ismaïly, injured, Bafodé Diakité was established in the left lane.

From the outset, Lille confiscated the ball and put a lot of pressure on their opponent, but the first chance came from Rennes with a volley from Bourigeaud well captured by Lucas Chevalier (11').

Mandanda unhappy then impassable

The Mastiffs, on the other hand, proved effective by converting their first situation: after a poorly repelled corner, André Gomes served Rémy Cabella, whose center was released by Mandanda, embarrassed by Jonathan David, and Fonte pushed the ball deep nets (1-0, 16th).

After this error, the Breton goalkeeper however caught up well to deflect a powerful strike from Cabella (25th) then a fleeing center from the former Montpellier player (26th) and a shot from Jonathan David (39th).

And he was happy to see a shot from Weah graze the post (36th).

Stade Rennes, lacking inspiration, offered almost nothing except an opening by Gouiri for the former Lille player Xeka, intercepted in extremis by Jonathan Bamba (31st) and a center back from Hamari Traoré slowed down by Fonte ( 41st).

After the break, Losc continued their momentum but were punished by an error from Bamba, who caused a penalty by surrounding Christopher Wooh, a former Lensois.

Bourigeaud, also passed by the RCL and booed by the Lille supporters, did not miss the offering to equalize (1-1, 58th).

Mandanda, saved three times by his amounts on attempts by Tiago Djalo (65th), Adam Ounas (71st) and David (72nd), then disgusted the Mastiffs by repelling a header from Bamba (78th) and another from Benjamin André ( 90th + 2), while the VAR canceled a goal from David for a slight offside (84th).

© 2022 AFP