Red Card Chaos! Rennes Sets Ligue 1 Record in Lorient Thriller!
Rennes' away game against FC Lorient turned into a nightmare within the first ten minutes, setting an unwanted Ligue 1 record. The match, a Brittany derby, saw Habib Beye’s Rennes side reduced to nine men after two rapid red cards.
Unprecedented Start: Two Red Cards in Ten Minutes
Mahdi Camara's Rennes debut was short-lived. Just six minutes into the game, the former Brest midfielder was sent off for unintentionally kicking Lorient’s Karim Dermane in the chest. This early setback immediately put Rennes on the back foot.
The situation worsened dramatically when Christopher Wooh, the Cameroon international centre-back, tackled Aiyegun Tosin on the edge of Rennes' penalty box, denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity. The referee, Jérôme Brisard, showed no hesitation in issuing a second red card, leaving Rennes with a mountain to climb.
Tactical Shift: Damage Control for Rennes
According to Opta, Rennes' two red cards in just ten minutes and four seconds is the fastest any team has achieved such a dubious distinction in Ligue 1 history. Facing a two-player deficit, Rennes coach Habib Beye was forced into an early tactical reshuffle. Striker Kader Meïté was sacrificed, replaced by the more defensively-minded Mahamadou Nagida, in an attempt to shore up the back line and prevent further damage.
- Mahdi Camara received a red card after 6 minutes.
- Christopher Wooh received a red card shortly after.
- Rennes forced to make an early substitution.
The match preview hinted at a potentially challenging game for Rennes, but nobody could have predicted the chaotic opening that unfolded. It remains to be seen how Rennes will navigate the rest of the season after this disastrous start in Lorient.