Stade Rennais FC 1 : 3 Stade Reims - Reims comeback stuns Rennes

Posted Sunday, December 21, 2014 by PA

Reims scored three second-half goals as they came from behind to stun Rennes in Ligue 1 on Saturday night.

Mexer headed the hosts in front a minute before the break, but some flowing football after the restart from the visitors turned the match on its head.

Gaetan Charbonnier equalised in the 65th minute, substitute Odair Fortes made it two in the 76th minute and another replacement, Nicolas de Preville, sealed the points at the death.

Rennes went into the game on the back of two straight league defeats and they started nervously against a side looking to record back-to-back wins.

After only four minutes Benjamin Moukandjo's volley hit a defender and rebounded to Aissa Mandi, whose shot from 20 yards was punched clear by goalkeeper Benoit Costil.

Costil had to be alert again to get down to save Antoine Devaux's shot.

But it was Rennes who went ahead just before half-time.

Christian Bruls floated a free-kick into the area and Mexer rose to head it powerfully home.

Reims were still the side in the ascendancy, though, and Charbonnier fired inches wide in the 61st minute.

He was on target four minutes later to bring the visitors level.

Chris Mavinga, brought off the bench only a few minutes earlier, led a counter-attack down the left before playing the ball to Prince Oniangue, who laid it off to Charbonnier to fire home with his left foot.

Reims' substitutions proved inspired and Fortes completed the turnaround by blasting a 30-yard drive past Costil to finish another fine team move in some style.

De Preville sealed the points in the 90th minute, taking a pass from Charbonnier and bursting into the area before shooting past Costil.