The match: 2-3
Put under pressure by Le Havre’s victory against Strasbourg (3-1) earlier this Saturday, FC Metz cracked at home against Rennes, after leading twice thanks to the talent of Georges Mikautadze (see below). Julien Stéphan’s players finally turned everything around (3-2), thanks in particular to the spinning Arnaud Kalimuendo, scorer of the winning goal in the 93rd minute. In the race to maintain, this defeat leaves Metz (29 points, 16th) three lengths behind HAC and Nantes, who will play Brest this Saturday evening (9 p.m.). With 45 points, Rennes has provisionally returned to 7th place, which will possibly be European, before the OL and OM matches (44 points).
Stade Rennais immediately took control of the proceedings at Saint-Symphorien, with a very offensive 4-4-2. But his defensive weakness and his ineffectiveness did not allow him to transform his intentions in the first period, when Metz knew how to be sharp. Mikautadze was a scorer (17th) then decisive passer for Papa Diallo (45th) to convert the two clear chances in Metz. Amine Gouiri had equalized on a serve from Martin Terrier, with the complicity of an involuntary deviation from Christophe Hérelle (23rd), but Rennes struggled for a long time to be realistic.
It finally took a rather fortunate penalty whistled in favor of Arnaud Kalimuendo for contact with Ismaël Diallo to allow specialist Benjamin Bourigeaud to equalize (73rd). The atmosphere became more electric, and the referee of the match Mr. Buquet then deprived Rennes of a more obvious penalty, when Fali Candé repelled with his arm a free kick from Bourigeaud (80th). Without consequence, since Arnaud Kalimuendo finally crucified Metz (90th+3), before the idol Mikautadze was excluded (90th+5).
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Benjamin Bourigeaud scored his 7th goal from the penalty spot for Rennes in Ligue 1 since the start of the 2022-2023 season. Only Téji Savanier (Montpellier) has so many over the period
The player: Mikautadze hero then excluded
Loaned with an option to purchase by Ajax Amsterdam this winter, Georges Mikautadze was the hero and then the great unfortunate of the Metz evening, being excluded for a gesture of humor against Arnaud Kalimuendo in added time (90th + 5) . Before that, the child of the club had made his audience roar again this Saturday, by opening the score with a perfect lob on Steve Mandanda, after going behind the back of the Rennes defense (17th). A new magnificent gesture from King George, author of seven goals in the last five days, and who has a total of 11 goals in 17 Ligue 1 matches this season. If his technical festival caused another thrill (37th), without consequence, he continued his masterclass by signing an assist for Papa Diallo (45th). He could have offered a second, but Arthur Theate saved Diallo’s attempt (69th). Annoyed by the scenario, Mikautadze could not contain his nerves in injury time. His exclusion, confirmed by VAR, could hurt Metz very badly in the final sprint.
