Stade Rennais bounced back from a heavy defeat before the international break by securing a 4-1 victory over AJ Auxerre at Roazhon Park on Sunday, October 11, 2026. The win during the sixth round of the Ligue 1 season propelled Franck Haise’s side into provisional third place in the standings with 13 points, just one point behind league leaders AS Monaco. Estéban Lepaul opened the scoring early, while substitute Boulaye Dia sealed the result with two late goals in stoppage time.
Lepaul Ends Goal Drought and Archer Responds for Auxerre
Entering the match following a 4-0 defeat away to Lyon, Rennes needed an immediate response. They found it in the 16th minute when Charlie Cresswell launched a long ball over the Auxerre defense. Estéban Lepaul timed his run perfectly, taking advantage of a mistimed rush by goalkeeper Mamadou Diop to poke a first-time volley into the net for his first goal in several weeks. However, Auxerre quickly neutralized the advantage. In the 25th minute, a long clearance from Diop caught the Rennes backline out of position, allowing Cameron Archer to round goalkeeper Brice Samba and slot home his fourth goal in four matches off the post to make it 1-1. This ended a drought for Lepaul, who had gone seven matches without a goal across all competitions and had never previously gone more than four matches without scoring since arriving at Rennes in the summer of 2025, avoiding a fifth match without a goal against the club of his home city. For Auxerre, managed by Will Still, the match followed a difficult start to the season that included three opening defeats before consecutive victories against Nice and Brest brought renewed confidence to the side, which started the day 14th with six units compared to the sixth-placed Bretons holding 10 points. Rennes had also suffered a 1-0 friendly defeat against Laval the previous weekend with regular starters on the pitch. Auxerre came close to taking the lead before halftime as Romain Faivre tested Samba with a 33rd-minute face-off that the goalkeeper won before Faivre missed the target with a left-footed shot from the edge of the area in the 37th minute, capping a laboriously offensive first period for Franck Haise’s team who lacked audacity, speed, and technical precision against a packed defensive block that lulled the hosts into a slow rhythm.
Adrien Thomasson Restores the Lead After the Break
Auxerre threatened to take the lead either side of halftime, with Samba forced into important saves against Romain Faivre, Naouirou Ahamada, and Kévin Danois, including a bouncing shot from Ahamada and an effort from Danois early in the second half around the 50th and 51st minutes. Rennes eventually reclaimed the upper hand in the 54th minute. Bryan Reynolds sent an accurate delivery into the box following a corner kick, and Adrien Thomasson connected with a looping header that beat the towering Diop to put the hosts ahead 2-1. Despite further pressure from the visitors, including a defensive clearance off the line by Nagida and a header against the crossbar by Issa Soumaré, Rennes maintained their slender advantage into the closing stages, aided by a close-range backheel attempt from Mahdi Camara at the near post in the 84th minute.
Boulaye Dia Seals the Win in Stoppage Time
With Auxerre pressing forward in search of an equalizer, the visitors left gaps at the back that allowed Boulaye Dia to exploit a static defense. Dia, who replaced Lepaul in the second half, scored twice in quick succession during stoppage time, netting in the 92nd and 94th minutes to stretch the final score to 4-1. The result lifts Rennes to 13 points, level with Lille on goal difference and trailing Monaco by a single point. Meanwhile, Auxerre remains stuck on six points in 15th place, extending their winless away record for the campaign and ending a brief two-match winning streak. For Dia, the goals marked his first strikes in Ligue 1 since 2021 when he played for Reims, adding a flattering margin to a victory that head coach Franck Haise addressed at halftime to spark a sharper, more spontaneous performance in the second act.
Match Statistics and Details
Match official M. Delajod oversaw the fixture at Roazhon Park on October 11, 2026, reaching a 1-1 halftime scoreline. Rennes registered goals through Estéban Lepaul (15th minute), Adrien Thomasson (53rd minute), and a stoppage-time brace from Boulaye Dia (90th+2 and 90th+4 minutes). Auxerre’s sole response came from Cameron Archer (25th minute). Disciplinary action included yellow cards shown to Rennes players Alidu Seidu (recorded as Rouault in regional press reports), Adrien Thomasson, Estéban Lepaul, and Djaoui Cissé during an intense afternoon of French top-flight football.
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Outlook Ahead
Looking ahead, Rennes faces a trip to play fifth-placed Paris FC next Sunday, as well as a fixture against OFI Crete in the Europa League on the upcoming Thursday, where the team will need to consolidate the timid progress glimpsed during the second half to trigger a positive momentum.
