January 16, (THEWILL) – Paris Saint-Germain suffered a shocking defeat at the hands of Rennes on Sunday night, cutting their lead at the top of Ligue 1 to just three points.
Despite having star players Lionel Messi and Neymar in the starting lineup, PSG struggled to break through a strong Rennes defense in the first half. Rennes, on the other hand, had several chances to score, with Arnaud Kalimuendo proving to be a particular thorn in the side of his former club.
In the second half, PSG coach introduced Kylian Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi in an attempt to change the tide of the game, but it was Rennes who would ultimately take the lead in the 65th minute. Adrien Truffert played an exquisite pass to Hamari Traore, who drilled the ball past Gianluigi Donnarumma and into the bottom corner.
PSG finally woke up and created their first real chance of the game in the 70th minute, but Mbappe was unable to find the back of the net. Despite having 20 minutes left to draw level, PSG rarely threatened Rennes’ goal and were deservedly beaten.
Rennes will now travel to Marseille for the Coupe de France on Friday, while PSG will visit Pays de Cassel in the Cup competition in eight days before returning to the league on January 29 against Reims.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
