With Lorient’s recent home record in mind, the visitors were keen to make a fast start, and they came close to taking the lead after just two minutes when Desire Doue advanced into the area and got a shot away which flew narrowly wide of the right post.
Prior to this game, Lorient had conceded first and failed to score before the brak in their last three home matches, and Les Merlus were clearly determined to put an end to this unwanted record, and they did just that when Enzo Le Fee’s corner was headed home by the unmarked Montassar Talbi to hand them the lead.
This goal gave the home side a real boost, and they had a great chance to double their advantage when a shot from inside the area rebounded into the path of Ibrahima Kone, who had his shot blocked from close range, much to the visitors’ relief.
Regis Le Bris’ side continued to be the more threatening outfit in the first half, and they managed to find a second goal just after the half-hour mark when they countered upfield through Theo Le Bris, who advanced inside the area and unleashed a shot which beat Steve Manndanda at his near post.
Lorient thought they had put the result beyond doubt two minutes after the restart, but Julien Ponceau’s goal was ruled out for offside.
Thereafter, it was very much one-way traffic as Rennes desperately searched for a way back into the contest.
After relentless pressure, Bruno Genesio’s side eventually halved the deficit with 17 minutes remaining when Amine Gouiri slid in to convert from a few yards out.
Rennes had all the momentum in the closing stages, and their best opportunity to equalise came when Kamaldeen Sulemana’s shot from a tight angle went the wrong side of the right post.
Despite the pressure, Lorient held on to claim a morale-boosting three points which lifts them to sixth, two points behind Rennes in fifth.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Theo Le Bris (Lorient)
