Rennes offers a final against Astana

Jablonec 0-1 Stade Rennais

Purpose: Attic (55^e) for Rennes
The last time anyone had seen anyone hold on to something, it was that good old Ethan Hunt in Mission Impossible – Fallout. And what was hanging from the end of his index finger on a cliff edge was his life. Rennes suffered during most of the game in Jablonec, went to two knockouts of Koubek KO in the first period, but is doing well in the guts and will offer a final on the next and last day facing Astana. In short: we have just witnessed two small consecutive miracles, remains only the third.

Koubek in the water

Météo France said it for a month: it's cold in the Czech Republic. Consequence, the kickoff is not even whistled that here is already the face of La Palisse at the end of clbad, invoked by commentators flabbergasted to see a lawn that Jablonec could not water. Because yes, at -8 ° C felt, the water, it freezes. The spell, it must be said, was busy with much more than chasing the clouds: thanks to the surprise victory of Dynamo Kiev in Astana, Rennes can still hang the qualification provided to take six points on the remaining six. Unthinkable two hours ago, but it will have to spit his guts. The first minutes, however … draw more outlines of a beautiful pneumonia.
The Rennes midfielder, as dense as a post cabinet Black Friday, coughing without much control, instructions having obviously been given to touch Sarr as quickly as possible in a 3-5-2 to furious airs of 4-2-3-1. We freeze them, then, but beware: there is also a storm. The evidence, Jablonec fond on Koubek as a Germanwings plane at each corner (14^e, 24^e, and especially 32^e). In the meantime ? There was also this bar touched by Doležal (31^e), a few minutes after unscrewing his head while he was alone (28^e). In fact, the opportunities were green. Not the shadow of a Breton thrill, if we except this similar attempt to lob Bourigeaud 40 meters. Yes, it's a little shameful, like Rennes' first period. Or sad. Or delusional. When does Ben Arfa come home?

When I advance, you go back …

Obviously, not right now. Sabri Lamouchi is suspected of having traded his mittens for the camouflets at half-time, going up the suspenders of kids refusing to compost their winning Loto ticket. So Rennes plays fast, Rennes plays better, and Rennes scores, logically, on a superb shot in the skylight of Clément Grenier after a good work of body of Sarr (55^e). The air is fresh, but we breathe better. And then, surreptitiously, to observe Koubek to use again on corner in the middle of a defense at bay, the tacit impression becomes tenacious certainty: this Rennes there still can not defend.
The cracks widen over the minutes while the entry of M'Baye Niang does not smooth the offensive transitions and, while Hatem Ben Arfa pays his behavior of the week, his suffer. As surely as a camper threatened by a bear, the block recoils, recedes … To the point of failing to crack, without a new parade of Koubek at the end of the meeting (86^e). Even Adrien Hunou, served by a Ben Arfa entered meanwhile, fails to stick a final point to the suspense of the evening (90^e). One will be satisfied with the points of suspension synonymous with a hair of doubt, but it seems that the important one in these cases is the result. So here it is: 0-1, Rennes holds the first win outside of its history in the Europa League. And would be well inspired not to be slow to pick up the second.

Jablonec (4-3-3): Hruby – Holeš, Hovorka, Lischka, Hanousek – Hübschman (Chramosta, 82^e), Kubista, Povazanec-Trávník, Sobol, Doležal. Coach: Petr Rada

Stade rennais (5-3-2): Koubek – Da Silva, Mexer, Zeffane – André, Bourigeaud (Niang, 63^e) – Lea-Siliki, Johansson, Traore – Sarr (Hunou, 88)^e), Attic (Ben Arfa, 76)^e). Coach: Sabri Lamouchi