December 08, (THEWILL) – Nantes clinched a narrow victory against Rennes in the French Ligue 1 on Sunday, securing a 1-0 win that transformed the team’s league standings.
Nigerian winger Moses Simon emerged as the match-winner, scoring a remarkable solo goal in the 89th minute that ultimately decided the contest.
His precise strike came at a critical moment when Rennes was playing with 10 men following defender Mikayil Faye’s first-half red card.
The match took an unexpected turn when referee Eric Wattelier sustained a minor leg injury in the 11th minute, leading to fourth official Mickaël Leleu taking over officiating duties.
This sudden change added an additional layer of complexity to an already tense encounter.
Rennes appeared to equalise in stoppage time when defender Christopher Wooh scored from a corner.
However, a VAR check resulted in the goal being disallowed due to a handball infringement, intensifying the match’s dramatic conclusion.
The match’s final moments were further heightened by the sending off of Rennes coach Jorge Sampaoli during stoppage time, following the controversial VAR decision.
With this victory, Nantes moved to 13th place in the league, now level on points with Rennes in 12th position.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
