PLAYER RATINGS | Rennes 1-0 Le Havre: Bretons return to winning ways | OneFootball

Ligue 1 McDonald’s, Matchday 9, 25/10/24

Rennes recorded their third win of the Ligue 1 campaign against minnows Le Havre. Andrés Gomez’s stunning curler before the hour mark proved the difference for the hosts. Didier Digard’s Le Havre have now lost six Ligue 1 games on the bounce.

The Match

Underfire Rennes head coach Julien Stéphan effectively gave up his stuttering 3-4-3 for a more offensive-minded 4-3-3 with former Celtic FC fan favorite Jota earning a starting spot on the left wing. The hosts started with intent, establishing their foothold in Le Havre’s half of the pitch. However, their opportunities to convert their domination were scarce. Dynamic midfielder Ludovic Blas came close to breaking the deadlock several times, but Arthur Desmas twice denied him.

The Le Havre goalie had a moment before half-time after miskicking his clearance, but Jota could not make the most of this, directing a tame shot towards Desmas. Barring a wide header from former Swansea and Marseille striker André Ayew, the Normans were completely harmless going forward. Didier Digard’s players could consider themselves lucky to survive the first 45 minutes.

The visitors would eventually crack with Rennes ramping up the pressure minutes into the second half. Adrien Truffert’s cross from the left fell to Andrés Gomez, whose precise left-footed curler found Desmas’ top corner. Le Havre kept relying on transitions to thwart Rennes’ back four, but they were still as wasteful as toothless in their rare excursions in the hosts’ final third.

Tempers flared in injury time with Le Havre defender Christopher Operi receiving a second booking for dissent. At the final whistle, Le Havre head coach Didier Digard sprinted towards referee Florent Batta to express his anger. Rennes climb back into the higher half of the Ligue 1 standings.

Rennes players ratings

Steve Mandanda – 5

Alidu Seidu – 6

The Ghana international is quietly making Rennes’ defensive right channel his own, relegating Lorenz Assignon and Hans Hateboer down the pecking order. The former Clermont defender put in another industrious shift, halted by an apparent shoulder injury in the second half.

Christopher Wooh – 5

Mikayil Faye – 6

Adrien Truffert – 6

Glen Kamara – 6

Ludovic Blas – 6

Albert Gronbaek – 4

Andrés Gomez – 6

The Colombia international had a rather horrid first half, conceding cheap fouls and struggling to make a difference on his first start for Rennes. The former Real Salt Lake winger redeemed himself with a brilliant goal, finding Desmas’ top corner with an exquisite curler.

Arnaud Kalimuendo – 4

Jota – 5

The former Celtic and Al-Ittihad winger is not yet back to full fitness, as evidenced by his substitution twenty minutes from time. He proved a reliable outlet on the left channel, feeding Truffert for the cross leading to Gomez’s goal.

Selected Le Havre players ratings

Arthur Desmas, 4

Christopher Operi, 3

Oussama Targhalline, 4

GFFN | Bastien Cheval, reporting from the Roazhon Park