Rennes’ first-half display showed all the confidence of the team with the best home record in Ligue 1 this season, and while the home fans will have been confident before kick-off, even they surely couldn’t have expected their team to take the lead after 26 seconds. But that was exactly what happened, when defender Leny Yoro took a heavy touch and lost possession inside his own area, allowing the in-form Amine Gouiri to steal in and shoot past Lucas Chevalier to register his ninth goal of the season and mark a century of Ligue 1 appearances in style.
Having made the perfect start to the game, Rennes had the belief to push forward and really press home their advantage in the early stages, and they came agonisingly close to doubling their advantage four minutes later, when Karl Toko Ekambi hooked the ball into the path of Gouiri, who diverted it on goal, but Chevalier reacted sharply to deny him.
Paulo Fonseca’s Lille side had failed to score in three of their last four league matches, and they needed a drastic change of fortunes if they were to get back on level terms. Lille knew that top scorer Jonathan David was going to be important in their quest to find an equaliser, and the forward thought he had levelled the match seven minutes after the restart with a well taken finish, but the linesman's flag went up for offside.
The Dogues were not to be denied eight minutes later though, when a deft flick from Angel Gomes teed up Edon Zhegrova to sweep home and draw his side level to ensure a grandstand finish. The game appeared to be heading towards a draw, until Rémy Cabella popped up to divert the ball home from Zhegrova’s cross and hand Lille a priceless victory which moved them to within two points of fifth-placed Rennes, before André Gomes rounded off the scoring in an emphatic display.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Edon Zhegrova (LOSC Lille)
