Girondins slip up at home [0-2]

Tentatival and tactical. Probably the only way to describe the opening 30 minutes. The Girondins were set up to counter-attack, while Rennes dominated possession but created nothing with it. Malcom fired off a warning shot in the 10th minute, just before Martin Braithwaite limped off injured to be replaced by Nicolas De Préville (13’). When Pablo picked up a yellow card for a foul on Khazri, Bordeaux did well to block the ensuing free kick. Jaroslav Plasil set the counter-attack in motion, but it fizzled out in the final third (33’).       The game sank into a halting rhythm, with Rennes still dominating possession but Benoît Costil holding out well against his former team-mates. The visitors began trying their luck with long balls, as the Girondins struggled to respond. Rennes probably deserved to be ahead, but the game was still scoreless at half time.       Shortly after the break, Rennes opened the score when Khazri's shot was tipped onto the post by Benoît Costil only for Sarr to smash in the rebound (49’, 0-1). After this setback the Girondins pushed forward with renewed intent, and Youssouf Sabaly hit the post with a sweet volley (50’). With an hour on the clock, Gustavo Poyet decided it was time to shake things up.     Younousse Sankharé and François Kamano were sent on for Jaroslav Plasil and Gaëtan Laborde. But the visitors were happy to sit back and protect their lead, and Bordeaux just could not seem to get past the Breton defence. Nicolas De Préville earned himself a yellow card for diving (70’). Yoann Gourcuff, a familiar face to Bordeaux fans, came on as a sub for the last five minutes. Connecting with a pass from Khazri, another former Girondin, Gourcuff made it Bordeaux 0 - 2 Stade Rennais (86’). Game over.