Meïté Seals Rennes Victory with Late Strike Against Brest

Mohamed Meïté emerged as the unlikely hero for Rennes, drilling home a decisive 87th-minute winner that secured a commanding 3-1 victory over Brest at Roazhon Park. The substitute's perfectly-placed left-footed strike from the centre of the box, expertly set up by Quentin Merlin's pinpoint cross, capped off a pulsating encounter that lifted fifth-placed Rennes further clear of their ninth-placed opponents in the Ligue 1 standings.

The match exploded into life early when Mama Baldé gave Brest a shock 13th-minute lead, converting from close range after Kamory Doumbia's clever assist found him perfectly positioned in the centre of the box. However, Rennes responded with devastating efficiency in a remarkable 60-second spell that turned the game on its head. Estéban Lepaul restored parity in the 24th minute, firing a right-footed effort into the centre of the goal, before Mousa Tamari completed the turnaround just one minute later with a composed left-footed finish from an identical position.

The tactical battle saw Rennes gradually assert their dominance through the midfield axis of Mahdi Camara and Valentin Rongier, who controlled the tempo against Brest's Hugo Magnetti and the increasingly frustrated Kamory Doumbia. Brice Samba proved crucial between the posts for the hosts, producing a string of vital saves including a sharp stop to deny Rémy Labeau Lascary in the dying moments, while Brendan Chardonnet and Soumaïla Coulibaly battled tirelessly to keep Brest in contention.

Rennes' superiority showed in the statistics, as they dominated possession at 61% while limiting Brest to just seven shots on target compared to their own five more clinical efforts. The visitors' frustration boiled over in the closing stages, with Kamory Doumbia and Soumaïla Coulibaly both picking up yellow cards for reckless challenges, while Junior Dina Ebimbe's late booking summed up Brest's desperate attempts to salvage something from the contest.

The turning point came with Rennes manager's astute substitutions on 78 minutes, introducing fresh legs including Meïté for Lepaul. The change immediately paid dividends as the substitute's movement and positioning proved too much for a tiring Brest defence, culminating in his match-winning contribution that sent the Roazhon Park faithful into raptures during a nervy final 10 minutes.

Looking ahead, Rennes will host Les Sables on December 21st as they seek to maintain their push for European qualification, while Brest face a crucial home fixture against Avranches on December 19th, needing points to climb away from mid-table mediocrity and reignite their own continental ambitions.