Rennes Beat Strasbourg 3-0, Top Ligue 1

Rennes beat Strasbourg 3-0 at Roazhon Park on October 25 to move to the top of Ligue 1 on 16 points.

The home side took control in the first half. Boulaye Dia opened the scoring in the 34th minute, finishing a pass from Przemyslaw Frankowski. Seven minutes later, Sebastian Szymanski doubled the lead, set up by Mahamadou Nagida. Rennes went into half-time 2-0 up and in command.

Szymanski then added his second goal just after the hour mark. The Polish midfielder scored in the 61st minute, with the assist coming from Musa Al-Taamari. It was a comfortable finish for Franck Haise's side. Rennes had 15 shots to Strasbourg's 12, with five on target to the visitors' four, and an expected goals figure of 1.59 against 0.87. Goalkeeper Brice Samba made three saves to keep a clean sheet. Anthony Rouault also came close to a fourth with a header late on that Filip Jorgensen saved.

The win was a good response to the week before. Rennes had lost 4-3 away at Paris FC on October 18. At home, they remain unbeaten this season, with the 16th-placed Strasbourg unable to threaten them.

The result took on added significance because of the earlier game. Monaco fought back to draw 1-1 with Lille after Lille's Tanguy Nianzou was sent off. That left both of those sides on 15 points, and Rennes took the opportunity to move one point clear of them at the top. Rennes now have five wins, one draw and two defeats from their eight league games.

The lead may be short-lived, though. Paris Saint-Germain are on 14 points with a game in hand, and they host Lyon on Tuesday, October 27.

Strasbourg are in the bottom half of the table on seven points, with two wins from eight games.

Rennes visit Nice next on Saturday, October 31. Strasbourg host Auxerre on Sunday, November 1.