Rennes overturned an early deficit and twice re-established their lead to edge Brest 4-3 at Stade Francis-Le Blé, the kind of three-point haul Franck Haise needed to keep the Champions League chase alive. Defensive slips against sharper opponents left Eric Roy’s side empty-handed despite their attacking threat.
Junior Dina Ebimbe lit up the evening in the 4th minute, sweeping home after Ludovic Ajorque’s lay-off and briefly validating Roy’s 4-2-3-1 plan. Haise’s 4-4-2 responded with composure: Quentin Merlin overlapped to feed Ludovic Blas for a 20th-minute equaliser, and when Grégoire Coudert felled Mousa Tamari inside the box, Esteban Lepaul converted the 34th-minute penalty to flip the match.
Rennes controlled possession at 60 percent, with Valentin Rongier and Mahdi Camara orchestrating a 500-pass recital that stretched Brest’s midfield. The hosts still countered after the interval. Bradley Locko escaped down the left, Dina Ebimbe finished again in the 57th minute, and the stadium erupted. Lilian Brassier’s booking three minutes later hinted at Rennes nerves, yet Breel Embolo broke the line in the 63rd minute to restore the visitors’ lead. Roy’s late substitutions offered little respite; Pathé Mboup and Soumaila Coulibaly entered only after Remy Labeau Lascary had levelled in the 70th minute, punishing hesitant defending.
Lepaul supplied the decisive moment. Tamari, relentless from the right flank, drew another foul in the 74th minute, and Lepaul swept in his second penalty. Haise tightened the structure with defensive changes at 81 minutes, while Roy withdrew Dina Ebimbe shortly after the decisive strike, depriving Brest of their most direct outlet. Blas departed to applause in the 88th minute, Sebastian Szymański helped Rennes see it out, and Brice Samba collected a time-wasting yellow card deep in stoppage time.
Individually, Lepaul’s composure from twelve yards, Tamari’s two penalties won, and Blas’ dual role as scorer and creator tilted the contest. Embolo’s hold-up play unsettled Michel Diaz and Brendan Chardonnet, while Coudert facing seven shots on target against 2.89 expected goals told the story of Brest’s defensive strain.
Rennes climb to 47 points, two behind fourth-placed Marseille and three shy of Lille in third as the race for automatic European qualification tightens. Brest remain on 36 points in 11th place ahead of a demanding spring run. Haise now prepares his squad for another direct rival, while Roy must steady his back line swiftly. More on the weekend slate here: Metz vs Nantes and Le Havre vs Auxerre. For FA Cup fallout, see Chelsea vs Port Vale.
Statistics
- Possession: Brest 40 percent, Rennes 60 percent
- Shots on target: Brest 4, Rennes 7
- Expected goals: Brest 1.22, Rennes 2.89
- Corners: Brest 3, Rennes 7
- Cards: Brest 2 yellows (Coudert 34, Michel Diaz 39), Rennes 4 yellows (Rongier 36, Brassier 60, Blas 73, Samba 90+2)
