French Ligue 1 leaders Olympique de Marseille were eliminated from the Coupe de la Ligue at the first hurdle on Wednesday, conceding in the last minute to lose 2-1 at Stade Rennais.
L’OM are four points clear at the top of Ligue 1, but saw their run of eight consecutive wins ended in a 1-0 reverse at Olympique Lyonnais last weekend and coach Marcelo Bielsa opted to rotate his squad for the trip to Brittany.
Bielsa made six changes to his starting lineup, with Michy Batshuayi getting his chance up front as Andre-Pierre Gignac was rested.
Photo: AFP
The young Belgian striker was up to the task, giving the visitors the lead in the 19th minute at the Stade de la Route de Lorient to put Marseille seemingly on course for a berth in the Cup last-16.
However, Anders Konradsen headed in the equalizer from inside the box on the hour and Austrian forward Philipp Hosiner then diverted the ball into the net in injury-time to take Rennes through.
That winning goal came after Brice Dja Djedje and Paul-Georges Ntep were sent off following a clash as tempers flared, leaving both teams to end the game with 10 men.
Earlier on Wednesday, Metz eliminated OGC Nice on penalties after squandering a 3-0 lead to draw the match on the Cote d’Azur 3-3.
Along with the winners of Tuesday’s ties, Rennes and Metz progress to the last-16 in December, when France’s six European representatives — including holders Paris Saint-Germain — will enter the draw.
Joining Rennes and Metz are AC Ajaccio, US Creteil-Lusitanos and AC Arles-Avignon, all second-tier sides who beat top-flight clubs Montpellier Herault, Racing Club de Lens and Stade de Reims respectively on Tuesday.
Girondins de Bordeaux, SC Bastia, Nantes, Lorient and Stade Melharbe Caen Calvados also made it to the round-of-16 on Tuesday.
Mouaad Madri fired Ajaccio to a 1-0 victory over Montpellier, while Creteil won 2-0 at Lens with goals from Jean-Michel Lesage and Ludovic Genest, and Fawzi Ouaamar scored in the 12th minute of extra-time to give Arles-Avignon a 3-2 win over Reims.
Bordeaux beat Toulouse 3-1, courtesy of goals from Nicolas Pallois, Diego Contento and Cheick Diabate.
Djibril Cisse netted twice in Bastia’s 3-1 win over AJ Auxerre, while Nantes striker Itay Shechter scored twice in a 4-0 rout of Laval Rouge et Or.
Jordan Ayew scored the winner in Lorient’s 2-1 win over Evian Thonon Gaillard, and Caen needed a goal from Mathieu Duhamel in the last minute of extra-time to win 4-3 against Clermont Auvergne 63.
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