Rennes emerge as spoilers and rend PSG’s perfect Ligue 1 start

Paris Saint-Germain experienced their first taste of defeat with Lionel Messi in the squad as Rennes secured a shock 2-0 home win in their Ligue 1 encounter.

The six-time Ballon d’Or winner was tamed and unable to motivate Mauricio Pochettino’s side to victory at Roazhon Park. The Parisians who haven’t lost a single game since the beginning of the current campaign reluctantly bowed when the tables turned as they were dealt with by a determined Rennes side.

Surprisingly, the Argentine superstar Lionel Messi played the full 90 minutes without being substituted, same as their want-away Real Madrid target Kylian Mbappe but Neymar played 76 minutes before being substituted.

Despite these scary legs, the home side were able to gain momentum and their superiority was made known. Stade Rennes took the lead on the stroke of halftime courtesy of their frontman Gaetan Larbode after Lionel Messi had his effort hit the crossbar with a free kick in the 31st minute.

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The home side were able to end the first half of the tie on top and the studded Parisians were left incapacitated to return the favor. In the second half, 46th minute to be precise, Gaetan provided an assist for midfielder Flavien Tai which resulted in another goal that doubled the advantage for the home side.

There are reports that PSG’s pre-game routine was affected due to heavy wind and rain as the players couldn’t fly to Brittany on Saturday evening, instead, they arrived at the stadium by coach and car.

Mauricio Pochettino, after he was outwitted by Stade Rennes coach Bruno Genesio, during the press conference said; “The first person responsible is me, I’m a little bit angry.

“Without underestimating and marring what Rennes have done, we are angry and disappointed that we did not convert our chances and to concede these goals is a bit unceremonious for us, no doubt, the outing leaves us bitter and Downhearted”

It’s so unusual for a PSG side to play without a single shot on target. The away side couldn’t record any shot at goal throughout the entire 90 minutes.

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Before the tie, PSG had won all their eight Ligue 1 matches. Mauricio Pochettino’s side are six points above second-placed Lens and eight points above third-placed Nice, who have one game in hand.

In other results, Last-placed Saint-Etienne rescued a point through an injury-time penalty awarded to them.

Tunisian footballer Wahbi Khazri’s penalty kick for the hosts in the fifth minute of stoppage time when video review authenticated a handball by Lyon defender Jason Denayer, ensured their leveler and denied their bitter and local rivals, Lyon, the whole three points as the game ended 1-1.

The away side had taken the lead through Houssem Aouar assisted by Lucas Paqueta in the 42nd minute. However, a Lyon player was red-carded in the 74th minute of the encounter, goalkeeper Anthony Lopes was sent off for handling the ball outside the penalty area.

Olympique Marseille, who are mourning the departure of Bernard Tapie, an iconic former president who passed on at the age of 78 on Sunday morning from cancer, were defeated 2 nil.

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Jonathan David bagged a double for the defending champions Lille. Before the blast of the whistle, Marseille and the home side’s fans Lille geared together in a moment of applause when the picture of Tapie was displayed on the stadium’s scoreboard.

Expectedly, Marseille players wore black armbands in commemoration of their departed president. Marseille were able to finish the tie with 10 players after their winger, Turkish international Cengiz Under was sent off in the 77th for a brutal tackle.

Other results in the Ligue 1 saw Monaco thrash Bordeaux 3-0. Angers were angry as they defeated Metz 3-2 with 17-year-old forward Mohamed-Ali Cho among the scorers in the 5 goal thriller.

Stephane Bahoken’s 93rd-minute goal sealed a win for the home side with three points. Nantes Nailed Troyes with 2-0 and Lorient battle for a 1-1 draw with their visitor, Clermont foot 63.