The long road of growth for les Rouge & Noir has taken many turns this year. A triumphant unbeaten streak was off-set with a debilitating period where championship hopes dimmed and it appeared that they would remember the year for missed opportunities.

Yet with each challenge, the futures of clubs are solidified. Some falter while others soar and ultimately the test is how adversity is met. For Rennais with its mixed group of veteran players and brilliant young artists, the greater test is how the taste of chaos is dealt with.

Since the late November victory over Paris Saint-Germain, the hurdles faced by les Rouge & Noir have taken them to the brink of failure but recently a glimmer of hope has been seen and Saturday evening in the Côte d'Azur against Nice, they answered the call of challenges with a triumphant 1-0 victory.

While much is to be said of the match, the real story is between the lines. A team as Monsieur Lacombe described with "nothing to lose" played with everything to win. Against the formidable Niçois, les Rouge & Noir had everything stacked against them with the "house" looking confident for a win. Yet that changed within the blink of a eye as Bretons immediately showed a greater attacking vision and looked to exploit the Niçois exposure to contre-attaque. To no surprise Olivier Thomert, Rod Fanni and Bruno Cheyrou embodied the attacking pulse and shining gem of Jimmy Briand's talent shone through. Yet marking was perfect and up to every assault and while both sides probed for an opening, there was not a mistake to be preyed upon.

With only forty-five minutes to play and with the stakes raised les Niçois began to slowly ease forward, first with Loïc Rémy testing Rennais and later beginning to link up quality touches. At the hour Julien Sablé threatened from twenty metres but Nicolas Douchez stretches out and denies the ball going into the net. Les Rouge & Noir fought back and with a slow build up of play set the table for the coup d'arrêt. Driving forward, Bruno Cheyrou launches to Jimmy Briand who coyly pulls defenders along before crossing to Olivier Thomert for the finale. A late dalliance by the Niçois fall short and Rennais returns home with the 1-0 victory and awaits next weeks match against Olympique Lyonnais.