Stade Rennais 3-1 West Ham United
Pre-Season Match, Roazhon Park, Saturday 29 July 2023, 6pm CEST (5pm BST)
Tomáš Souček was on target, but West Ham United suffered their first defeat of pre-season on Saturday as Stade Rennais struck either side of the Czech’s effort to settle an entertaining contest in their favour by a 3-1 scoreline.
The French side took an early lead through Baptiste Santamaria’s stunning long-range strike, but West Ham worked their way back into the contest and levelled midway through the second half thanks to Souček’s towering header from a free-kick.
However, Rennes came again and re-took the lead 15 minutes from time when France U21 international Arnaud Kalimuendo flicked home from close range.
Then, right at the end, the unfortunate Angelo Ogbonna put through his own goal as Rennes claimed victory in north-western France.
David Moyes was able to call upon a near-full squad for the first time this summer, as the Irons’ group of internationals lined up with the group who returned earlier in July.
It meant a first involvement of pre-season for Paquetá, while Nayef Aguerd took the captain’s armband on his return to the club he joined the Irons from last summer.
Rennes were quickest out of the traps, however, and they were rewarded with a quite outrageous opening goal with just nine minutes on the clock.
There appeared to be little danger when Santamaria picked up the ball fully 35 yards out, but the Frenchman took on the shot and unleashed a wickedly dipping effort, which swerved into the top right-hand corner of Alphonse Areola's net.
Sixty seconds later the hosts were a whisker away from doubling their lead, but Areola did well to get down to Désiré Doué’s low drive from the edge of the box.
West Ham’s first chance to strike came in the 16th minute when Flynn Downes slid a pass through to Danny Ings in the right channel. He checked onto his left foot inside the area, but his effort lacked the necessary power to beat Rennes goalkeeper Steve Mandanda.
Jérémy Doku swiped over for the home side when well placed at the far post, but the Hammers were growing into the contest and won a succession of corners in the second quarter of the match.
From one of them, 35 minutes in, Paquetá so nearly delivered a stunning response to Santamaria’s earlier rocket, connecting with Emerson’s driven left-wing delivery with a sweetly-struck volley which Mandanda did well to push aside.
Two minutes after the restart, a lovely move involving Paquetá, half-time sub Jarrod Bowen, Vladimír Coufal and Saïd Benrahma ended with the later flashing a right-footed volley a yard over the top.
At the other end, Santamaria looked for a repeat of his earlier strike when he let fly from 20 yards eight minutes into the second period, but this time his effort was directed over the top as Łukasz Fabiański was able to watch it over.
West Ham were getting closer to a leveller though and it arrived midway through the half via a free-kick won high up the pitch on the left flank.
Emerson swung the ball into the box and Souček rose highest to plant a firm header home.
However, Rennes regained the lead with 15 minutes to play when Kalimuendo darted across the near post to meet a low cross from the right with a deft finish.
The same player looked for more six minutes later when he struck for goal from a tight angle, but Fabiański stuck up a hand to repel his effort.
Kalimuendo’s influential cameo concluded with a strong hand in the decisive third goal in the final minute as his dangerous low cross was turned past Fabiański by the unfortunate Ogbonna.
Stade Rennais: Mandanda, Assignon (G.Doué (33), Omari (Wooh 62), Theate (Jaouab 62), Belocian (Meling 62), Santamaria (Le Fée 62), Bourigeaud © (Blas 62), Majer (Tait 62), D.Doué (Salah 62), Doku (Gouiri 62), Abline (Kalimuendo 62)
Subs: Gallon (GK), Lembet (GK)
Goals: Santamaria 9, Kalimuendo 75, Ogbonna og 89
West Ham United: Areola (Fabiański 46), Coufal, Zouma (Kehrer 62), Aguerd © (Ogbonna 62), Emerson, Souček, Downes, Paquetá (Cornet 70), Fornals (Bowen 46), Benrahma (Scamacca 70), Ings (Mubama 46)
Subs: Coventry
Goal: Souček 66
Attendance: 26,387
