Cameroonian wing-back Mahamadou Nagida delivered the cross for Stade Rennais’s second goal against Strasbourg (3-0). With this win, the Breton club move provisionally top of Ligue 1, while Racing rack up a fourth straight defeat.
At the Roazhon Park, Franck Haise’s men beat RC Strasbourg 3-0 on matchday 8 of Ligue 1, leading by two goals at the break (2-0). Striker Boulaye Dia opened the scoring in the 34th minute, before Polish midfielder Sebastian Szymański doubled the lead in the 41st.
For that second goal, Cameroon’s Mahamadou Nagida was the source of the decisive cross. Lined up in Franck Haise’s 3-5-2 alongside Przemysław Frankowski, he played as a wing-back, according to But! Football Club.
Szymański at the double, Nagida with the assist
The Polish midfielder scored a brace: after his 41st-minute goal, he struck again in the 61st minute with a left-footed shot that came off the crossbar, according to Stade Rennais Online and But! Football Club. He was named man of the match.
Nagida’s role should be read in that context. Tipped as the Rennes player to watch before the game by Les Nouvelles du Foot, the Cameroonian delivered the cross that allowed Szymański to make it 2-0 just before the break. For the opening goal, it was Frankowski who provided the assist for Dia in the 34th minute, again according to But! Football Club.
Referee Ruddy Buquet took charge of the match. The match report credits the three goals to Dia (34th) and Szymański (41st, 61st), according to Stade Rennais Online.
Lepaul absent, attack reshuffled
Rennes lined up without Estéban Lepaul. Ligue 1’s top scorer with 7 goals, the striker missed the match: he injured his left ankle in the 4-3 defeat to Paris FC, Alsa’Sports reports. Franck Haise confirmed his absence, according to Footmercato.
Lepaul scored a hat-trick against Racing at the Roazhon Park last season, in a 4-1 win, Alsa’Sports recalls. No return date was given by the sources consulted.
Rennes out in front, Strasbourg beaten again
With this win, Stade Rennais move provisionally top of Ligue 1, ahead of Lille and Monaco, according to InfoRadar.
At the other end, Racing suffer a fourth consecutive defeat, according to Alsa’Sports. Trailing 2-0 at the break, they were unable to get back into the match.
On the same afternoon, Angers and Lorient drew 0-0 and Auxerre and Le Mans 1-1, InfoRadar reports. The next fixtures for Rennes and Strasbourg are not specified in the sources consulted.