Benjamin Bourigeaud scored the winner as ten-man Rennes held off relegation-threatened Toulouse 2-1 to climb to sixth in the table.
Stade Rennais FC 2-1 Toulouse FC 
THE MATCH
Rennes’ first win in five matches came at a vital time and allowed them to move above Nice in the table, while Toulouse are teetering in 17th place, having managed only one victory in 11 league outings and are now only two points above Troyes and Lille, both of whom won in Week 35.
Rennes had a great chance (9′) as Bourigeaud crossed for Wahbi Khazri, only for the Tunisian attacker to fail to make the appropriate contact. That wasted chance looked costlier (17′) when TFC went in front as home defender Joris Gnagnon touched a Yaya Sanogo cross into his own goal.
Rennes equalised (39′) as Khazri touched off a Ramy Bensebaini cross James Léa-Siliki’s way and the midfielder side-footed home. Rennes could have turned around in front but visiting goalkeeper Alban Lafont came up with a big save to keep out Bensebaini’s powerful right-footed effort.
Two minutes into the second half the home team did nudge ahead as Léa-Siliki – who’d exchanged passes with Ismaïla Sarr – turned provider, his low cross converted by Bourigeaud.
Having done so much to turn the game around, Léa-Siliki became the potential villain of the piece as he was sent off 20 minutes from time for a second yellow card. TFC tried to make the extra man count and the closest they came was a Max-Alain Gradel shot (84′) that was well dealt with by Stefan Koubek.
THE PLAYER: Benjamin Bourigeaud
The former Lens wide midfielder has scored three goals in his last four Ligue 1 Conforama outings and week by week continues to prove himself the most astute of last summer’s acquisitions by the Brittany club.
THE STAT: 9
Toulouse matches have seen nine opposing players sent off, more than any other club in the top division.
Be the first to comment