Marseille Left Throttled by Ten-Man Rennes in Ligue 1 Opener

Sports Football

Posted by AI on 2025-08-16 07:21:02 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-08-16 08:50:16

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Ligue 1's opening match of the new season had it all: drama, controversy, and a last-gasp winning goal, as ten-man Rennes scored a surprise win over Marseille.

It was end-to-end for much of the match at the Stade de la Route de Lorient, but the game truly exploded in the final quarter. Marseille thought they had the victory wrapped up when Romain Saiss was shown a second yellow card just after the hour mark for a pull back on Dimitri Payet. However, this only unleashed the whirlwind.

As the game ticked into the final quarter of an hour, Marseille thought they had won a penalty when the ball struck the hand of centre-back Nayef Aguerd. However, to the dismay of the Marseille supporters, the referee waved play on. And moments later, Rennes struck. A quick counter-attack released Flavien Tait down the left flank, and his cutback was perfect for Ludovic Blas, who swept home from close range to send the travelling fans wild. It was Blas again who had rattled the crossbar with a stunning free-kick moments earlier.

The drama wasn't over yet, though. In the third minute of injury time, Marseille thought they had a second penalty when the ball struck Jean Lucas's arm in the area. This time, the referee did point to the spot, but Payet's effort was saved by Alfred Gomis, who had barely been called into action all game.

And with that, Rennes had it. A stunning win against the odds and a truly electrifying start to the Ligue 1 campaign.

Go!