The referee indicates three additional minutes at the end of the 90.
89'
Rennes are just passing it around in defence as time winds down. They look to be under no illusions of a comeback and are just waiting for the full-time whistle.
85'
PSG take a corner from the left-hand side and it’s aimed at Silva who has made his way from the back, but it sails over the captain’s head and exits the penalty area on the other side.
81'
T. Meunier enters the game and replaces Dani Alves.
E. Choupo-Moting enters the game and replaces E. Cavani.
Grenier hits the free-kick towards goal but it fails to dip and sails high over the crossbar in disappointing fashion.
Choupo-Moting comes in for Cavani who is denied the chance to secure a hat-trick.
Meunier comes onto the pitch for the final nine minutes as Alves has earned an early rest.
80'
Thiago Silva gets yellow.
Hunou looks to be clear through on goal following a PSG giveaway in midfield and the captain is forced to break up the attack with a lunging tackle that earns him a yellow.
78'
J. Léa Siliki enters the game and replaces I. Sarr.
It's damage limitation time for Rennes who throw Lea Siliki on for Sarr.
76'
L. Kurzawa enters the game and replaces Juan Bernat.
Bernat is replaced by Kurzawa as Tuchel feels he can rest some of his players following PSG's flurry of goals.
72'
A. Hunou enters the game and replaces M. Niang.
Rennes make their first change as Niang is replaced by Hunou.
71'
E. Cavani has scored a goal for PSG! Assist by K. Mbappé.
Mbappe now has an assist to add to his earlier goal as PSG are running rampant!
PSG ARE IN FULL CONTROL NOW! 4-1! The Rennes defence is out of sorts following an attack and a lovely Draxler pass gets both Mbappe and Cavani through on goal in an onside position. The France international bears down on goal, forcing the goalkeeper to change his positioning but his pass to Cavani essentially gives the number nine an open goal to shoot at - which he hits with accuracy!
Minute
Description
70'
Marquinhos plays a lovely pass down the flank for Di Maria who crosses it into the penalty area looking for Cavani. That connection worked well for the first goal, but it fails to work at the second time of asking as the service is put over the head of the forward.
68'
CAVANI GOES DOWN IN THE BOX BUT NO PENALTY! Four PSG players cue in the Rennes box as the ball moves from right to left, but the Uruguay striker holds onto it, shifting his weight and readying for a shot. Before he can dispatch however he clashes with a central defender and goes to ground, though the referee waves play on!
66'
K. Mbappé has scored a goal for PSG! Assist by J. Draxler.
Draxler's ball-winning tackle started the move, and his pass to Mbappe is credited as the assist.
MBAPPE’S FIRST OF THE NIGHT IS HIS 18TH IN THE LEAGUE! 3-1! Koubek passes it out from a goal-kick to Grenier who turns and realizes he has no options to pass to before losing possession to Draxler. From there, the midfielder looks up and slips a pass to Mbappe who blasts it into the bottom corner! It’s sloppy from Rennes and it has cost them!
64'
Tuchel continues to prowl the touchline, barking instructions at his side. He knows that with 30 minutes remaining, the match is far from over. His XI cannot afford a moment’s relaxation as Rennes continue to come forward in search of the goal which will bring them level for the second time.
62'
H. Traoré gets yellow.
Traore goes in for a heavy sliding challenge and fails to get any of the ball. He’s shown the game’s second yellow card.
60'
Á. Di María has scored a goal for PSG! Assist by Thiago Silva.
Silva has certainly made amends for his earlier poor defensive work which allowed Niang to equalise. His swept pass is the assist for PSG's second goal.
DI MARIA’S LITTLE CHIP MAKES IT 2-1 PSG! The hosts regain the lead through the Argentina international after a fantastic first-time pass played from Silva in defence eludes the entire Rennes defence and allows Di Maria to burst into the penalty area onside and unmarked. With typical class, the winger waits for the goalkeeper to make a move before chipping it over the diving Koubek and into the back of the net!
55'
Mbappe breaks free from three defenders with an electric turn of pace and fires a shot from distance towards Koubek which is hit with power but fails to trouble the goalkeeper who catches it comfortably.
49'
Draxler plays a lazy pass back into his own defence which is intercepted by the alert Bourigeaud, but a similarly sloppy delivery sees the ball returned to PSG just in front of their own penalty area.
47'
Traore sets Bouriguead up for a cross but his delivery fails to beat the first man as it clatters off the defender and goes out for a Rennes throw-in.
46'
Rennes get the match restarted from the kick-off!
45' +4
HALF-TIME: PSG 1-1 RENNES.
45' +3
Mbappe switches play to the left side with a cross inside the penalty area but Di Maria’s attempted volley from an acute angle fails to come off as Koubek is able to collect the ball for a goal-kick.
45' +1
The referee indicates an additional four minutes at the end of the first half for stoppages.
44'
Ben Arfa puts a left-footed corner towards the far post for Da Silva, but the centre-back can only send the chance over the crossbar as the first half winds to a close.
42'
Bourigeaud makes an ill-advised pass into the centre of the pitch which Mbappe intercepts. The striker races towards goal but loses possession and goes to ground following some physical play. It appears he collided with Zeffane, but the coming together appears innocuous.
40'
Mbappe spreads it to Kehrer with a great opening pass, but the right-back’s delivery into the penalty area is cut out. Play stops following the failed attack as Alves goes to ground after a potentially accidental clash between the Brazil international’s face and Ben Arfa’s arm.
38'
Alves loses it in a dangerous position just outside his penalty area, and Grenier picks up the loose ball before lifting a pass to Sarr which goes slightly too far ahead of the winger and out for a goal-kick. Paris are looking sloppy in defence at the minute, especially down their left-hand side; an area which was already exposed for Rennes’ goal.
36'
The goal scorer is very lucky as a V.A.R review upholds the original decision and the yellow card will remain. Kehrer is extremely fortunate to escape that challenge relatively unharmed because replays of the incident suggest the aftermath could have been much worse.
34'
M. Niang gets yellow.
Niang dives in extremely late with an uncontrolled tackle and quite clearly puts his studs into the ankle of Kehrer. The striker is shown a yellow card for the moment, but VAR is being put to use as this could potentially be a challenge worthy of a red!
32'
PSG’s high press pays off as Rennes are unable to pass it in a tight enough triangle around the onrushing Paris attackers and it goes out for a throw-in for the hosts.
30'
A bit of controversy as Cavani feels he should be awarded a penalty – a sentiment which he is expressing quite clearly to the referee. The striker feels as though Traore tugged him to the ground following a cross from the right, but the match official disagrees and tells Koubek to resume the match from a goal-kick.
28'
M. Niang has scored a goal for Rennes! Assist by H. Traoré.
Traore has been trying to expose that hole in the PSG defence all match, and it finally pays as he is able to get free and make an assist for Niang's goal.
NIANG EVENS IT UP WITH A BACKHEEL! 1-1! Bourigeaud slips a wonderful ball through the gap between Bernat and Kimpembe for Traore who puts a low cross into the penalty area for Niang. Closely marked by Silva and inside the six-yard box, the striker manages to beat Buffon with an incredible backheel touch! The visitors are back on level ground!
26'
Another promising Rennes attack fades away as a slight push in the back of Niang from Kimpembe is enough to unsettle the striker – forcing him to put it out for a PSG throw-in, deep in their own half.
24'
Cavani takes an aerial pass down with a great controlling touch and tries to bend a cross-cum-shot towards the far corner of Koubek’s goal, but he narrowly misses the target and allows Rennes to clear it from a goal-kick.
22'
Traore tries the same gap once again, this time looking for Niang but the former Milan striker is unable to keep it under his possession due to some heavy defensive pressure – and it rolls out of play for a goal-kick; much to the frustration of the Rennes right-back.
20'
Traore slips a deceptive pass through Bernat and Silva for Ben Arfa to have a shot on target, but his quick effort curls away from goal and surprisingly fails to trouble Buffon.
17'
PSG’s lack of natural central midfielders at the moment doesn’t seem to be hurting their shape. Alves and Marquinhos are dictating in the middle of the park as well as providing a lovely shield for the centre-backs. It may be unorthodox – but it’s working.
15'
Kehrer comes over the midfield line looking for another channel to expose with an opening pass, but the room is closed down in front of him rapidly by the Rennes midfield. It’s no trouble however as the right-back turns around and passes towards Silva, keeping possession ticking over.
13'
It’s typical of the PSG side that their first shot on target is a goal, as they’ve been exceptionally clinical recently, taking any chance that’s presented. Rennes have quite the task mounting a comeback, as further forward thrusts just mean gaps in the defence which the hosts can expose.
9'
It’s interesting to note that PSG made an in-game tactical switch just prior to the goal, changing from a three-man defence to four. Marquinhos has stepped into central midfield to partner Alves, while Bernat and Kehrer are operating as more traditional full-backs behind Di Maria AND Kehrer respectively.
7'
E. Cavani has scored a goal for PSG! Assist by Á. Di María.
Di Maria’s cross was inch-perfect, and it will go down as the assist for Cavani’s goal.
CAVANI OPENS THE SCORING IN UNDER 10 MINUTES! 1-0! Kimpembe plays a spectacular defence-cutting pass through the heart of Rennes for Di Maria on the left. The Argentina international has a moment to control it and look up, before putting a wonderful cross into the area for Cavani to attack! Clinical with his head – the PSG number nine makes no mistake from close range and puts the hosts a goal ahead!
5'
Bourigeaud is once again able to swing it into the penalty area, this time going near post towards Niang, but Kimpembe is there to thwart the attack with some great defending close to his goal.
3'
A lovely one-two between Andre and Bourigeaud gets the latter free for a cross on the right, but his delivery is met only by the head of Kimpembe who gets it out of his penalty area but no further.
1'
PSG get the match underway from the kick-off!
Hello and welcome to our LIVE commentary of the Ligue 1 fixture between Paris Saint-Germain and Rennes!
Paris Saint-Germain have rebounded well since their worst spell of the league season thus far – two consecutive draws – with three victories in a row, beating Nantes, Amiens and Guingamp by an aggregate score of 13-0. PSG sit comfortably in 1st place, 10 points above Lille in second with three games in-hand. Having scored at least once in their last 19 fixtures at the Parc des Princes and with a whopping goal differential of +52, there is no doubt that Thomas Tuchel’s side will create a host of chances against a middling Rennes side that have conceded 27 times in 21 matches.
RENNES SUBS: Adrien Hunou, James Lea Siliki, Gerzino Nyamsi, Jordan Siebatcheu, Eduardo Camavinga, Romain Del Castillo, Edvinas Gertmonas.
RENNES XI (4-2-3-1): Tomas Koubek; Hamari Traore, Damien Da Silva, Jeremy Gelin, Mehdi Zeffane; Benjamin Andre, Clement Grenier; Ismaila Sarr, Hatem Ben Arfa, Benjamin Bourigeaud; M’Baye Niang.
PSG SUBS: Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Layvin Kurzawa, Thomas Meunier, Moussa Diaby, Christopher Nkunku, Alphonse Areola, Stanley N’Soki.
PSG XI (5-2-3): Gianluigi Buffon; Juan Bernat, Presnel Kimpembe, Thiago Silva, Marquinhos, Thilo Kehrer; Dani Alves, Julian Draxler; Kylian Mbappe, Edinson Cavani, Angel Di Maria.
With just over 15 minutes to go before kick-off, the team news has been confirmed! Let's start with the home side.
Though the race for Ligue 1 supremacy seems all but over, that doesn’t mean intrigue is totally lost as teams from fifth to 10th are all jockeying for position in an uncertain and ever-changing mid-tier landscape. Rennes themselves are bottom of that cluster in 10th after a draw against Montpellier last week, but an unlikely win this evening would bring the visitors up into eighth place and within reach of the Europa League.
The teams are currently making their way out of the tunnel and onto the pitch – with kick-off to follow shortly!
Rennes have shown resiliency and fight – though they still managed to display a bit of flash in the first half with quite a few audacious flicks and backheel passes – not to mention Niang’s goal which was an exceptional display of confidence. Thought of as PSG’s bogey team – the visitors have lived up to that moniker after 45 minutes, frustrating Tuchel’s side to no end. With 45 minutes still to play, the three points are still very much up for grabs.
PSG enter the interval tied at 1-1 after their seventh-minute opener was cancelled out by a Niang backheel flick which fooled Buffon from inside the six-yard box. The hosts have controlled much of the match but have very little to show for it as giveaways in midfield and a weak spot between centre and left-back have allowed Rennes to deal blows of their own. The combination of Traore and Beaurigeaud has troubled Buffon and his defence on a number of occasions, forcing Di Maria into isolation. It’s no wonder Stephane has instructed his side to stifle that flank, as the Argentina international was the architect of the hosts’ lone goal.
That concludes our commentary of the Ligue 1 fixture between Paris Saint-Germain and Rennes! We hope you enjoyed the match!
PSG have a week before their next fixture when they’ll travel to face Lyon in the league. Rennes will be back in action on Saturday when they host Amiens.
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