At the end of a spectacular match split into two very distinct acts, Olympique Lyonnais lost this Friday against Stade Rennais, on the 19th day of Ligue 1 (2-3). A hard blow for OL, who have not recovered.
The wound remains raw and painful. It took Peter Sage a while to bandage it, and he may need a little more time to heal it. After a series of three successes which allowed the club to get its head above water before the holidays, OL fell back into their faults, in the game as in the attitude, in Le Havre, two weeks ago ( 1-3). In this context, the reception of Rennes was akin to a real test for the rest of this strange season, where two strong places in Ligue 1 could face each other, on a weekday evening, while being stuck in the second part of the ranking.
Modest tenth, Rennes approached the poster with the idea of confirming the status of a bête noire as much as a revival. After fumbling with his appointment, Julien Stéphan found a suitable formula to begin the return phase, with a more vertical two-attacker system which is beginning to prove itself on the national scene. And make no mistake: if Bruno Genesio is no longer there, Stéphan also has a good executioner’s face, after having won the first victory of his life as a coach in this setting, there is 6 years old. So much for the decor.
Rennes showers the Groupama Stadium
There is a match, a real one, between two very distinct modes of operation. Volunteers with a high block from the start, the Lyonnais quickly camped on the outskirts of the Rennes area, broadcasting a pleasant collective impression in the first quarter of an hour – all in an atmosphere worthy of a Sunday evening. The whole thing was rather consistent, coherent, if not brilliant. But this team once again proved, if necessary, that its collective good intentions could be shattered because of its individual failures. It’s a recurring problem at OL. And at this level, it is the defensive sector that must be singled out.
The way Rennes gained confidence in this match calls into question the abilities of this Lyon team to assume its offensive ambitions. On their first foray, the Bretons showered the Groupama Stadium. Martin Terrier produced a high-class sequence with a full-line breakthrough concluded by a clear shot at the near post (0-1, 22nd). Anthony Lopes’ grimace after this shot in the window said something about his degree of responsibility.
But the emblematic goalkeeper of Les Gones was abandoned by his defense, then, when Désiré Doué played three defenders before arming a victorious shot for the break goal (0-2, 36th); then when Martin Terrier was left completely alone to adjust it in front of the goal line and signal the end of this first act with a clear 0-3 (42nd).
At the back of the wall, Pierre Sage cut to the chase by launching Henrique and Orban to redress the situation. And give yourself the right to believe it. The scenario is as old as football: Les Gones had to score quickly to revive interest at the end of the match. They achieved it before the hour mark, Henrique taking a precise cross from Maitland-Niles (1-3, 57th). A goal which stretched the lines and clarified this incredible match a little more, where the Rennais seemed timid between the idea of managing their advantage and that of driving home the point. The affair would have turned out differently, perhaps, if Théâte had not made a heroic comeback to block Lacazette’s path two short minutes later (59th).
Because if the Lyonnais offered themselves a crazy end to the match, their second goal came too late to turn the situation around. Lacazette made Groupama Stadium exult with an opportunistic gesture (2-3, 78th). A burst of pride in an exhilarating and chaotic end to the match, between songs of hope and the smell of a knockout… But the bill was settled. Thanks to this success, Rennes temporarily overtakes Strasbourg to make a small jump in the first part of the table and return to waters more consistent with its status. For Lyon, the road is still long. Pierre Sage has more tools in store, but he still has work to do.
