Ismaïla Sarr’s brilliant late strike gave Stade Rennais FC a 1-0 win over Angers SCO at Roazhon Park, as the Brittany side bounced back from losing on the opening weekend.
Stade Rennais FC 1 – 0 Angers SCO 
THE MATCH
These two teams had both endured disappointing defeats to start the campaign, with Rennes losing 3-1 at LOSC while Angers SCO slumped to a spectacular 4-3 home defeat against new boys Nîmes Olympique.
The visitors’ start to this game was not helped when recent signing Vincent Pajot – facing one of his former sides – had to come off on a stretcher early on following a clash with Benjamin André. His place was taken by Cheikh Ndoye, the giant midfielder who is back at the club after a spell in England with Birmingham City.
That incident came inside the opening quarter of an hour and did not help the flow of a game which never really got going. Indeed, it seemed destined to finish goalless until Sarr popped up with a moment of magic late on.
The 20-year-old Senegalese international collected the ball on the left and came infield to send a stunning shot on his right foot arrowing across the goalkeeper and into the far corner (81′), and Sabri Lamouchi’s Rennes side have lift-off.
THE PLAYER: Ismaïla Sarr
Big things are expected in Rennes of Sarr, a year after his €17 million move from FC Metz. After a first season to settle in Brittany, during which he scored five times in Ligue 1 Conforama, Sarr played well at the World Cup with Senegal. And it was for match-winning goals like this one that Rennes invested so much money in the 20-year-old.
THE STAT: 16
Rennes have now scored at least once in 16 consecutive Ligue 1 Conforama games, the best current run of any side.
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