Rennes boost European hopes
Sunday 8 March 2009
e-mail
Print
Digg
Save
Jimmy Briand (right) of Rennes is congratulated after scoring his side's second in the 2-0 win against Auxerre (©Getty Images)
Photos/Wallpapers »
Stade Rennais FC moved to within three points of a UEFA Champions League qualifying berth in Ligue 1 with a valuable 2-0 success against AJ Auxerre.
Creative influence
Carlos Bocanegra and Jimmy Briand scored first-half goals for Rennes, with experienced attacker Mickaël Pagis, who kept his place in the starting eleven after the 3-0 midweek cup win over FC Lorient, the provider on both occasions. The result takes them into sixth place ahead of LOSC Lille Métropole, 2-0 conquerors of Ligue 1 leaders Olympique Lyonnais on Saturday, on goal difference, and to three points behind Olympique de Marseille in third.
Sochaux lose
Struggling FC Sochaux-Montbéliard suffered a costly 2-1 reverse at bottom side Le Havre AC. Having taken the lead via Jacques Faty in the eleventh minute, the visitors surrendered their advantage within four minutes thanks to Le Havre forward Amadou Alassane's ninth league goal of the campaign. The home side's comeback win was sealed seven minutes after the interval through Kevin Anin. To compound the away team's problems, Nicolas Maurice-Belay was sent off with a quarter of an hour remaining for a second bookable offence.
St Etienne hope
That took Sochaux into the bottom three after AS Saint-Etienne beat FC Nantes 2-1 to move three points away from the drop zone. Ivan Klasnić put Nantes into an early lead but Ilan converted a tenth-minute penalty and struck again before the half-hour.
©uefa.com 1998-2009. All rights reserved.
