Stade Rennais beat En Avant de Guingamp 1-0 to make it four out of four in Breton derbies so far this season.
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With little at stake league-wise between these two mid-table sides, Rennes and Guingamp met to play for regional pride at the Stade de la Route de Lorient on Saturday.
The Red and Blacks have been Brittany’s top team so far this term and they proved it once again with a tight 1-0 victory over their rivals.
The opening stages were uninspiring, with a buoyant crowd providing more vibrancy and entertainment than the 22 players on the pitch.
The volume increased in the second half when Guingamp midfielder Sambou Yatabare was shown a straight red card for a late, high challenge on Cheikh M’Bengue.
The contest appeared destined to end in a draw before a touch of class from Rennes’ forwards on 80 minutes.
Kamil Grosicki deserves credit for his awesome cross, but it was met by an equally-excellent header from Swedish forward Ola Toivonen, who made no mistake from inside the box.
The victory keeps Rennes inside the top half—in ninth place—while Guingamp are three places and six points beneath them, in 12th.