00:03Well it's always a huge fixture when Rennes and Nantes face off in the derby here in Brittany
00:10and the stakes are that bit higher today as we come towards the end of the season.
00:15Rennes in the thick of the battle for Champions League qualification
00:19and Nantes plunging towards relegation to the second division which would be disastrous
00:25for a club of their stature, one of the great names of course in French football.
00:30If they can get a victory here today in the hostile atmosphere at Rennes-en-Parc
00:34it would perhaps spark a late push for survival.
00:43And it's a very big ask indeed for the Canaries, the eight-time French champions.
00:50Only three clubs have won more league titles than FC Nantes.
00:55Harry Saint-Germain who are on course to win their 14th, record-extending 14th championship this season.
01:03Saint-Étienne have won it ten times and Marseille with nine.
01:09Then come Nantes and Monaco on eight apiece and Nantes might have the history.
01:15Rennes who've never won the league are nevertheless in a much better position these days.
01:27Ait Boudlal playing it through.
01:29Anthony Lopez coming out and diving at the feet.
01:31We have the Redden player and a penalty's been given.
01:35Five minutes in, it's a spot kick to the home team.
01:38Musa Al-Tamari who's been in fantastic form recently.
01:44Well, Al-Tamari got the touch on the ball, played it past the keeper.
01:48But it does look from there as though Lopez got nothing.
01:52Hadn't actually scored a single penalty in his Ligue 1 career until the beginning of this month.
01:59But Lepol from the spot now against Lopez.
02:01Lepol scores and Rennes leading the derby.
02:04Just seven minutes played.
02:07It's Rennes 1-0.
02:10Anthony Lopez, the Nantes goalkeeper who conceded the spot kick.
02:14He dived the right way but it was just too much power, too much precision.
02:18There's nothing wrong with his eyesight, he knows the way to goal.
02:21It was a perfect penalty kick from Esteban Lepol.
02:28His 18th goal in total in Ligue 1 this season.
02:35What could Nantes do from the corner?
02:37Out swinging delivery from the right.
02:39Right by the head and Brice Samba makes the save.
02:43Holding the ball at the second attempt.
02:46We all saw which was that that had not crossed the line.
02:50Angier.
02:51Now Mbolo driving towards goal.
02:53Bril Mbolo has got Blas to his right.
02:58Ludovic Blas coming inside.
03:01Gives it to Madi Kamerat.
03:02He'll fancy the shot.
03:03Curls one over the bar.
03:07And inspired signing by Rennes from Angier.
03:10A prolific strike.
03:19High hanging ball towards the back post.
03:21It's Gilbert's header.
03:23And Brice Samba got a touch to that.
03:24It will be another corner.
03:31Fingertips of the Rennes goalkeeper.
03:33He just felt he had to make sure.
03:43Swinging delivery.
03:44And there's the header again.
03:45And it's very nearly turned in.
03:47It probably should have been turned in.
03:49Matching at the back post.
03:50Classic set piece delivery.
03:54In swinging ball.
03:56Headed on by Gilbert.
04:01Blas trying again.
04:03Blas with the delivery.
04:05And Ait Pudlal with the header.
04:07Save by Antony Lopez.
04:10Easy stop in the end.
04:14This was that chance.
04:16Ait Pudlal with the header.
04:17It was a good save really from Antony Lopez.
04:19Very down low.
04:20Second goal for Rennes now before halftime.
04:22And not inside the Rennes box.
04:26It's cut back.
04:28But it's cleared away by Brassier.
04:30There's a nut player down.
04:31And the referee having played the advantage.
04:35And that gives Rennes the free kick.
04:36And Nikola Kotsa is the first player to be booked this afternoon.
04:43Clearly holding back Briss.
04:46Former Lyon youth player.
04:49Good bounce for Garrago.
04:51But he's done brilliantly.
04:53To beat Briss Samba who'd come off his line.
04:56And Ignacius Garrago has got the equaliser for naught.
05:03Against the run of play.
05:06You have to give real credit to the away team.
05:09For not letting the early penalty.
05:13Get them down.
05:19Just a long ball forward.
05:21And Ganagot getting to it in front of Ait Pudlal.
05:25Doing really well to control with the awkward bounce.
05:28Probably call that a bit of a speculative effort.
05:31But it's a brilliant finish in truth.
05:33From Ganagot.
05:35To surprise Briss Samba.
05:39Mike Kim a former player at Lens.
05:41Signas.
05:41It's Rennes 1.
05:42Nantes 1 in this derby.
05:45Nantes did come from 2-0 down.
05:47To draw 2-2.
05:48And hope to Rennes in the first derby.
05:50Of the season in September.
05:52And come Nantes again.
05:53Lepinon laying it off to Ablin.
05:55Matisse Ablin.
05:56Good save from Samba.
05:57Still alive.
06:03Good save really from Samba.
06:05But Ganagot.
06:08Had the chance from the follow-up.
06:10Ablin denied initially.
06:11Difficult.
06:11Maddie camera.
06:13To Blas again.
06:14Ludovic Blas with the cross.
06:15Just too high for Le Paul.
06:17Headed away by Gilbert.
06:19And the shot for range from Lillian Brassier.
06:21With the speculative effort.
06:23Saved by Lopez.
06:25And the offside flag then coming to the away side's red.
06:29I see a triangle is locked from what?
06:3235 metres.
06:47And there is the half-time whistle.
06:50And a few whistles.
06:51A bit of indifference.
06:54Perhaps from the Rennes fans here.
06:57Started very well for them today.
06:59Esteban Le Paul scoring the penalty awarded.
07:01After Moussaltamari went down under the challenge.
07:03Montenay Lopez.
07:04But not equalizing through Ignacio's Ganagot.
07:07And in the derby.
07:08It is Rennes 1-0-1 at the break.
07:10Competition at this rate.
07:14Rennes getters underway.
07:16In the second half.
07:17Here in the derby today.
07:22It is 1-1 apiece between these sides.
07:31The form guide very much favoring Rennes today.
07:38And recent history very much in their favor as well.
07:46It's one win in the last seven meetings of the clubs for Nantes.
07:49That was 1-0 win for Strasbourg.
07:52In L'Oreal.
07:52That will be a real lift for Gary O'Neill's team after the agony of losing at Hogue to Nice
07:56in the French Cup semi-finals during the week.
07:58An incredible game because they were 2-0 down.
08:02And back to win 3-2.
08:07Involving Ali Duseidou.
08:09And David Machado.
08:13Machado to get the playoff position.
08:14They lost yesterday.
08:16Lupinon sends that forward.
08:19Down by Sisoko.
08:21Comes out to Kaba.
08:22It's taken a deflection.
08:24Easy save.
08:28Not the best clearance from Rangier which set up the chance for Kaba to hit it.
08:34It came off.
08:38Fontaine Merlin for Rennes.
08:40French Cup winner with Nantes in 2022.
08:44Pass threaded through.
08:46And Moussel Tamari gets there in front of Lopez.
08:48And Lepol scores.
08:50And Rennes retake the lead.
08:52Esteban Lepol does it again.
08:55To deal with it.
08:59Great pass threaded through by Rangier.
09:02Maybe just a question about Moussel Tamari.
09:05If he was onside when that ball was played.
09:07That will be checked again.
09:09It's the Jordanian who got on the end of it.
09:11Lopez made the save from him.
09:12It falls to Lepol.
09:14And he tucks it home.
09:16To make it 2-1.
09:18Esteban Lepol running away at the top of the scorer's charts in Ligue 1.
09:21It's Timmy in front in the first half.
09:23And the ball hoping that this one will stand.
09:27The brace for him.
09:28And Rennes second of the day.
09:30But it does not stand.
09:31It's offside.
09:32It's in campaign.
09:33But that is why.
09:35Moussel Tamari just offside.
09:39Free kick then to Nantes here.
09:42In this second half.
09:43This derby finally poised.
09:45Lepol floats it forwards.
09:49Goals for Gilbert.
09:50Shot blocked.
09:51And then the follow-up effort cleared off the line by Cotain Merlin.
09:55From one end to the other.
09:59Ball dropping kindly for Gilbert initially.
10:02And then it was Mohamed Kaba.
10:08And from one end to the other.
10:09Moussel Tamari now for Rennes.
10:11And it's gone just wide.
10:13It was perhaps the defender who got the last touch there.
10:16Which was heading in.
10:18Merlin clearing it away.
10:19And then the long ball forward to release.
10:21Moussel Tamari.
10:25What about the shot?
10:26Lepol might think about the shot too.
10:33And the ball in.
10:34And the header is straight at Bree Samba.
10:36Another big chance for the away side.
10:40Szymanski now in bolo bounding forward.
10:42He has Moussel Tamari again making the run up ahead.
10:44Al Tamari might be in here.
10:46He can bring it under control from the angle.
10:48Comes on inside the defender.
10:51And the shot cleared off the line.
10:55By Ali Youssef the flounce more.
10:57Just a little bit too eager you might say.
11:02Just unable to hold the line.
11:05Credit to Youssef the Libyan.
11:08Making a stop.
11:10Anyway.
11:12Empty away end.
11:15Moussel Tamari flights it forwards.
11:18It's going to be a yellow card for Eid Boudlal for catching Frederick Gilbert.
11:29Just trying to protect his own head I think.
11:32But clearly an infringement from the young.
11:34Header away.
11:39It's a brilliant ball through to find Szymanski.
11:42Szymanski scored.
11:46And a substitute.
11:48In his first taste of this fixture.
11:52Mankes will have to wait.
11:54Like the Rennes players and fans to see if this was the correct decision.
11:56But yes.
11:57He can see pretty clearly there.
12:00Szymanski ahead.
12:02That game to come later at home to Nice.
12:04So the chances are Rennes could slip to sixth.
12:06If they don't get the victory here.
12:09Zabiri.
12:10Zabiri.
12:12Saved by Lopez.
12:14Great effort from the substitute.
12:17Figured at Nolte now.
12:19This was the chance for Zabiri.
12:32Zabiri.
12:34Montan Ranger the Rennes captain.
12:35There's a lot of opposition in Rennes.
12:37Last summer when they signed him.
12:40The gallery you might say.
12:41It's after the Nolte fans when he was on the other side of the.
12:47Marcel Tamari again.
12:51They're not going to have nine minutes of added time though.
12:55That's going to give the crowd a bit of a lift here.
12:57Let's see if they can give Rennes a lift.
13:00Last weekend.
13:01At home to another Brittany side.
13:04Brest.
13:04They were winning 1-0.
13:06And they ended up drawing 1-1.
13:12Rogier shot.
13:13Rogier's goal.
13:15In the 92nd minute.
13:18Valentin Rogier.
13:19The Rennes captain.
13:21The player who used to be on the other side of this division.
13:24Coming off the head of Ali Yusuf.
13:25And then falling to Rogier.
13:27It's not a player you expect to score a goal.
13:30Ever really.
13:31Least of all.
13:33Late relegation.
13:34Trap door.
13:38There's the overhead kick into the arms of Brice Samba.
13:42Spectacular.
13:43That's where we're at now for Nantes.
13:45Martin this miserable season.
13:47Which has just never got going.
13:50Parting company with two coaches.
13:55And there is the final whistle.
13:57After nearly 100 minutes.
14:00Rennes have won the derby.
14:03They were denied by a late, late equaliser in Nantes.
14:07In the first derby of the season in September.
14:10Which finished in a 2-2 draw.
14:12They have won this derby by two goals to one.
14:16And all thanks.
14:19To an injury time strike.
14:21From their captain.
14:22Valentin Rangier.
14:24Playing against the club where he started his career.
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