Rennes routs big-spending Lyon 3-0 in French league
![Rennes' Benjamin Bourigeaud gestures during the French League One soccer...](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AYTU5MTNhMDgtYTE2NC00%3AMDgtYTE2NC00MzM0N2Fk%2Ffrance-soccer-league-one.jpeg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D770%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
Rennes' Benjamin Bourigeaud gestures during the French League One soccer match between Rennes and Lyon at the Roazhon Park stadium in Rennes, France, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024. Credit: AP/Jeremias Gonzalez
Rennes enjoyed a commanding 3-0 victory over big-spending Lyon in the French league on Sunday.
Benjamin Bourigeaud opened the scoring in the 19th minute with a deflected free kick. Just over a minute later, Amine Gouiri doubled Rennes’ lead after a swift counterattack.
Henrik Meister, a Danish striker acquired by Rennes this summer, sealed the win with a stoppage-time goal to cap a dominant performance.
Lyon, which struggled last season, started this campaign poorly despite heavy spending in the transfer window. Forward Georges Mikautadze, who was bought for 18.5 million euros ($20 million) after an impressive Euro 2024 campaign with Georgia, failed to score from the penalty spot on Sunday. Lyon central defender Moussa Niakhaté, a 32 million euro ($35 million) signing from Nottingham Forest, was at fault for two of the three goals conceded.
In other matches, Auxerre celebrated its return to Ligue 1 with a 2-1 victory over Nice at Stade de l’Abbé Deschamps. Nice took the lead through a header from Mohamed-Ali Cho, but Auxerre equalized before halftime thanks to Rayan Raveloson's goal. Lasso Coulibaly scored the winner in stoppage time.
Lens defeated promoted side Angers 1-0. Wesley Saïd scored in the first half, marking a successful league start for new coach Will Still.
Toulouse and Nantes played out a 0-0 draw, while Montpellier and Strasbourg shared the points in a 1-1 draw.
![Rennes' Lorenz Assignon controls the ball during the French League...](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AY2RkMDZlMjQtN2RiZC00%3AMjQtN2RiZC00MTliYjY3%2Ffrance-soccer-league-one.jpeg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D768%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
Rennes' Lorenz Assignon controls the ball during the French League One soccer match between Rennes and Lyon at the Roazhon Park stadium in Rennes, France, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024. Credit: AP/Jeremias Gonzalez
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