Rennais lose late to Monaco

Like a thief in the night les Rouge et Noir, saw three points snatched from them late as they lost 3-1 to Monaco. An embarrassingly small crowd at the Stade Louis II, far below the announced number of 7,700 witnessed a oddly officiated match as two clear cut penalties were dismissed by M. Poulat.

In the fifth minute of the match Cédric Mongongu and Nicolas N'Koulou brought down Jérôme Leroy in the area and if not comically bad in missing the call the young Cameroonian N'Koulou threw up his hands and fell as the infraction occurred attempting to deflect blame. Shortly another very obvious penalty was waived off as Kevin Diaz should have been called for a handball within the six-yard box. Rennais dominated possession in the first half and it seemed that much of Monaco were playing deep within the box and focusing more on clearing goal bound efforts off the line. Despite the absence of Jimmy Briand, les Bretons are looking like a finely tuned machine that just can't click over in the final moments. With fifteen minutes remaining SRFC is exposed at the back and as Lucien Aubey and Juan Pablo Pino collide ever-so-slighly at the edge of the box, M. Poulat. races over with red-card in hand for defender. Monégasque took the lead as Jerko Leko drives the ball to the roof of the net and six minutes later, with Rennais completely exposed at the back Juan Pablo Pino accepts a long pass and races half the pitch before putting the ball past Nicolas Douchez. With four minutes remaining in the days work Bruno Cheyrou brings Rennais within one as his freekick goes through the wall and into the right corner. Time is running out and with a corner, Nicolas Douchez races forward for courageous effort however the ball is cleared and Pinto races to put the ball in.



Lucien Aubey