Ligue 1: Substitute Clinton N'Jie's late strike earned Lyon a 1-0 victory at Rennes

Substitute Clinton N'Jie's late strike earned Ligue 1 runners-up Lyon a 1-0 victory at Rennes in their final game of the season.

Lyon were already assured of a second-placed finish prior to the Stade de la Route de Lorient encounter, but N'Jie ensured they signed off in style when he scored in the 87th minute to record a first win in three games.

A third successive defeat for Rennes did not prevent them from finishing in the top half, however, as Guingamp and Bastia also lost, to St Etienne and Marseille respectively.

Lyon began the match seeking a first victory in three games and they could have taken the lead as early as the fifth minute, but Mohamed Yattara headed Mouhamadou Dabo's left-wing cross inches over Rennes goalkeeper Benoit Costil's crossbar.

Lyon forward Nabil Fekir combined with Maxime Gonalons on the edge of the penalty area, but his 13th-minute right-footed strike was only just off target.

Rennes grew into the game after a sluggish start and an unmarked Ola Toivonen missed a gilt-edged chance in front of goal when he skewed his shot wide of the target with the goal at his mercy after 28 minutes.

The hosts had another chance to take the lead 10 minutes before half-time, but Lyon goalkeeper Anthony Lopes was at his athletic best to deflect a low Paul-Georges Ntep strike that appeared destined to nestle into the back of the net.

Both sides found chances hard to come by in the early stages of the second half and neither keeper was troubled until Lopes used his legs to foil Kamil Grosicki in the 67th minute.

N'Jie replaced Yattara shortly after the hour mark and was inches away from scoring a sensational goal with 20 minutes remaining, but his volley from Corentin Tolisso's left-wing cross cleared the crossbar by the smallest of margins.

N'Jie was proving to be a real handful for Rennes' backline and he rounded off a Gonalons' inspired counter-attack move by slotting the ball between Costil's legs and into the net to score Lyon's winner with three minutes remaining.