In a thrilling match-up between Rennes and Strasbourg, the latter emerged victorious in a dominant performance that saw them advance to the European playoffs. The match was played at Stade de la Beaujoire in Rennes on Tuesday night.
The match started off with both teams showing their intent to dominate the game from the beginning. However, it was Rennes who took the lead first through a well-taken goal by substitute Alexandre Lacazette. The French side continued to push forward and were rewarded with another goal from a penalty kick by Anthony Lopes just before half-time.
Strasbourg came out stronger after the break and managed to equalize through a header by Yann Kermorgant. However, Rennes responded immediately when Lacazette scored his second goal of the match from close range. The home team then sealed the win with a third goal from Lucas Ocampos, who completed his brace in the second half.
With this victory, Rennes has secured their place in the Europa League play-offs for the first time since 2014-15. The club's manager Christophe Galtier was delighted with his team's performance and praised the contributions of all players, including Lacazette, who was named man-of-the-match.
"This is a big step forward for us," Galtier said. "We've worked hard throughout the season and we're proud of what we've achieved. We'll now focus on preparing for the next round of the competition."
For Strasbourg, the defeat was a bitter pill to swallow as they had put up a good fight against one of France's top clubs. Manager Frédéric Antonetti admitted that his side lacked the quality to compete with Rennes on their day.
"We didn't have enough quality tonight," he said. "We tried our best but unfortunately we couldn't come up with the right result."
Despite the loss, Strasbourg will still be looking forward to next season as they continue to build towards their promotion aspirations. The club's fans will also be hoping for some positive news regarding the future of key player Jérôme Rothen, who is reportedly set to leave the club this summer.
Overall, it was a memorable evening for Rennes as they advanced to the European playoffs with a dominating display. The club's success will no doubt inspire other French sides to work harder and strive for excellence in European competitions.