Recap: Rennes ease past Toulouse to keep up push for Europe
Saturday's Ligue 1 McDonald's action started with a top-half clash at Roazhon Park between Stade Rennais and Toulouse FC. Catch up on the Bretons' 1-0 win with our match recap.
Rennes look to build on good form
After successive wins over Paris Saint-Germain and Auxerre, a pair of matches that had seen the Bretons score six goals, Franck Haise's Stade Rennais looked to put pressure on his counterparts' chances for Europe, with a win enough to move them joint-fourth. Toulouse, meanwhile, had struggled for form of late, and were desperate to get three points, their last league win having come in January.
After a chippy start, the first big chance of the match came on the counter from the hosts, after a poor free kick by Toulouse. Breaking forward, Mousa Al-Tamaari was nearly away but for a fine tackle by Pape Demba Diop (15'), some fine timing by the Strasbourg loanee allowing the match to remain scoreless. Six minutes later, the hosts had another fine chance as Quentin Merlin's whipped free kick forced a diving save from Guillaume Restes (22'), but his effort was for nought.
Rennes would finally have their breakthrough on 27 minutes, though, as Restes spilled a low cross from Al-Tamaari, allowing Arnaud Nordin to net with a looping header, the former Montpellier winger scoring for the first time since joining on loan in the winter. Mahdi Camara then had the next chance of the match, running onto a fine pass from Valentin Rongier, but his chipped effort was just wide, and the Bretons would take their 1-0 lead into the break.
AIR NORDIN ✈️ pic.twitter.com/yFOzhBWSUK
— Ligue 1 McDonald's (@Ligue1) February 28, 2026
A hard-battling second half
Looking to get back into the match, Toulouse manager Carles Martínez Novell brought on Emersonn at the break, hoping that the young Brazilian could find the form that he had showed in autumn. That change would result in the first chance of the match for the visitors, with a low shot across goal forcing Brice Samba into a diving save (57'). Rennes responded with a sustained spell of pressure, winning a series of corners midway through the half, but were unable to test Restes.
From there, the match drifted somewhat, with neither side fashioning strong chances, save Esteban Lepaul firing wide ten minutes from time. In added time, on a trademark long throw from Mark McKenzie, Charlie Cresswell would have a header on target but it was smartly claimed by Samba. Come the match's end, Rennes had earned a well-deserved three points to lift them into fifth, while Toulouse stayed tenth ahead of their trip to Marseille in the Coupe de France midweek. As for Rennes, they'll continue their Ligue 1 McDonald's campaign away to Nice next Sunday.
