Rennes fight back to deny Lorient

Rennes twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with Lorient in a pulsating Brittany derby at the Stade de Moustoir.

Rennes twice came from behind to draw 2-2 with Lorient in a pulsating Brittany derby at the Stade de Moustoir. Goals from Yann Jouffre and Jeremie Aliadiere were not enough for the hosts as they were twice pegged back with strikes from Mevlut Erding and youngster Axel Ngando. The result did little for either side's European ambitions but meant Lorient have suffered just one defeat at home all season. The visitors went close early in the game when Erding's cross found Romain Alessandrini at the far post but his half-volley was kept out by Benjamin Lecomte. Alessandrini continued to cause problems for Lorient but his powerful strike, after Lamine Gassama's slip, flew just wide of Lecomte's left post. At the 20-minute mark, the hosts thought they had a penalty when Aliadiere went down in the area under a Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik challenge but the referee's whistle only signalled offside. Maxime Barthelme nearly gave Lorient the lead 10 minutes later when he pounced on a rebound from a Kevin Monnet-Paquet shot but his effort shaved the post. However, moments later Lorient took the lead when Barthelme's cross found its way to Jouffre and he confidently sent the ball beyond Benoit Costil from the edge of the area. Lorient were lucky to go into the break 1-0 up when Erding found himself one-on-one with just Lecomte to beat but the Turk blazed the ball over the bar. Rennes went in search of an equaliser after the break and Erding thought he had it when he rounded Lecomte only for his shot to be cleared off the line by Bruno Ecuele Manga. Moments later the visitors' coach Frederic Antonetti was sent to the stands for venting his frustrations but that did not matter as he team took the lead shortly after. Jean Makoun picked out Erding and he held off a challenge from Lamine Kone before rounding Lecomte and rolling the ball into the back of the net. Not content with a draw, Lorient sprung back into life but Jouffre sliced a shot wide of the goal following good work from Wesley Lautoa before Aliadiere fired just over the crossbar after Monnet-Paquet's deft flick set him up. The visitors' pressing paid off 10 minutes from the end in style. Aliadiere received the ball about 25 yards out before drilling a superb shot into the top right corner of Costil's goal. But for the second time in the game Lorient failed to hold on to the lead thanks to Ngando's late goal. Set up by the head of Alou Diarra, the substitute sent the ball through the legs of Lecomte with his first touch after coming on to steal a point.