Rennes run ends with home loss in France

Surprise early season French pace-setters Rennes went down to their first loss of the campaign on Saturday, 1-0 at home to Montpellier, as promoted Brest stunned Bordeaux away to close the gap to a single point.

Two weeks ago, Rennes, from the western region of Brittany, saw off Toulouse to go top of the heap for the first time since 1970. But they may not stay there much longer after Frederic Antonetti’s men went down to a goal on the stroke of half-time from Joris Marveaux before a 22,000 crowd.

The goal meant heartache for Marveaux’s brother Sylvain, starring in the Rennes ranks.

A hard-fought game boiled over twice after the break as first the visitors had Garry Bokaly sent off and then Rennes also went down to 10 men after a late dismissal for skipper Kader Mangane.

“We didn’t get at them – but this is part of the learning process when you are top of the table,” Antonetti conceded.

“We lacked a bit of confidence and missed a few good chances whereas they got one and scored from it,” added Antonetti as he ruefully looked back on what he termed “a little hold-up” from Montpellier.

Rennes nonetheless have a point advantage with 19 points from 10 games – though Saint Etienne and Brest are both breathing down their necks on 18.

Like Montpellier, Brest performed a smash and grab of their own at 2009 champions Bordeaux as first Romain Poyet after only five minutes and then Benoit Lesoimier 11 minutes from time cemented a victory for another Breton outfit.

Bordeaux’s fourth loss of the campaign in the absence of the combative Alou Diarra meant they missed a chance to go joint fourth with Montpellier.

Brest could have extended their margin but Nolan Roux missed a spotkick.

Bordeaux’s former Monaco and Fulham coach Jean Tigana tried manfully to keep his cool after a damaging loss to a club already kicking itself for missing out on Champions League football following a poor late run last season.

“When we win I am not over the moon and this evening I am not angry,” he insisted.

Scorer Lesoimier said the win was fully merited.

“This victory really is recompense for all the work we have been doing this season. We’ve put in some good matches and kept our defensive discipline. But our position in the table is not what counts – what counts is getting more points on the board.”

Saint Etienne, 1970s French giants who are slowly but surely reestablishing their credentials after some lean times in recent years, had to rescue a point as they failed to win for the third straight game as Emmanuel Riviere’s late effort cancelled out Caen’s opener from Youssef El-Arabi.

Caen remain in midtable but only five points behind Rennes.

Elsewhere, Valenciennes won 2-0 at Monaco to push the principality side into the bottom four while Lens managed just their second win to push Auxerre into penultimate place on the table.

Sochaux were hosting Toulouse in the late game with both sides having designs on the top five.

On Sunday, both reigning champions Marseille and Paris St Germain can go within a point of the summit with wins at Lille and home to Auxerre respectively.

Lyon, going well in the Champions League after three straight wins but in the bottom six in Ligue 1, will expect to win at promoted tailenders Arles in the other game, the latter having managed just a solitary point to date in their maiden top flight season.