Sunderland edge Rennes in tight friendly
Sunderland saw off Rennes 2-1 in their latest club friendly on Friday evening. The hosts took the lead in the second half before holding on for a narrow victory in front of their own supporters.
Rennes struck first through E. Lepaul from the penalty spot in the 32nd minute, a chance that came early in the encounter. Sunderland responded well and B. Brobbey equalised six minutes after the break before T. Hume put the home side ahead in the 70th minute. To be fair, the momentum shifted after the interval and Sunderland never looked back.
Coaches made several changes as the match progressed. A triple substitution for Rennes came at 62 minutes with N. Angulo, N. Sadiki and C. Talbi all involved. Sunderland brought on B. Brobbey at 71 minutes, while further changes followed at 72, 81 and 88 minutes on both sides.
The statistics suggest a fairly even contest, though the final result tells a different story. Both teams held 50 percent possession and Sunderland registered 86 attacks compared to 72 for Rennes. The home side won 10 corners to 2, a disparity that by then reflected their territorial dominance in the second half.
One yellow card was shown, coming at 87 minutes, while there were no dismissals on either side. The result adds to Sunderland's recent positive run, having won their last two friendlies against Lance and Rexham before this victory.
Rennes will take heart from their competitive display despite the defeat. They have been involved in several high-scoring friendlies recently, including a 2-4 loss to Brentford and a 3-3 draw with Galatasaray, showing they are willing to play openly.
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