Toulouse end long wait for home joy with win over Rennes

The Rose city drought is over

It had been 141 days since the Stadium de Toulouse had seen its side win a league match, but Carles Martínez Novell’s men brought that sequence to a welcome end with a spirited and clinical performance against a Rennes side still chasing a top-half finish.

Having won the reverse fixture in Brittany earlier this season, Toulouse started on the front foot and were rewarded with the breakthrough just before the half-hour mark. A flowing move down the right ended with Gboho sweeping home a composed finish after good work from Dønnum and Sidibé (28').

Rennes, subdued for much of the first period, responded well after the interval. Habib Beye’s men began to turn the screw and were back on level terms midway through the second half, as Adrien Truffert drove into the box and squared for Arnaud Kalimuendo to score his 15th goal of the campaign with a tidy first-time finish (65'). With that goal marked Kalimuendo’s seventh strike in his last nine away appearances for Les Rennais.

Dønnum magic seals it

With the match finely poised, it was Dønnum who produced the decisive moment. The Norwegian international, a lively presence throughout, danced past his marker and bent a superb left-footed effort beyond Samba to restore Toulouse’s lead late on (82'). There was late drama as Rennes pushed for a second equaliser, but a crucial save from Guillaume Restes in added time preserved the win and sparked jubilant scenes among the 23,500 fans in attendance.

The result sees Toulouse remain 12th, just behind their visitors in 11th, but crucially brings to an end a seven-match winless run in Ligue 1 McDonald's. For Rennes, the defeat halts their momentum despite being mathematically safe from the drop following Beye’s recent contract extension through to 2026.

What they said

Carles Martínez Novell (Toulouse coach): "We needed this. The players showed courage and character. The fans have been patient, and tonight we gave them something back."

Habib Beye (Rennes coach): "We started too slowly. The reaction was good, but it’s frustrating to leave with nothing."

The Stat: No comeback for Rennes

Stade Rennais are the team that has earnt the least amount of points after going behind in Ligue McDonald's, tied with Stade Brestois.

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