Leader PSG loses 1-0 at Rennes, Monaco routs Ajaccio 7-1

Lionel Messi Neymar and Kylian Mbappeacute couldnt stop Paris SaintGermain losing 10 at Rennes for a second straight away defeat in the French league as its lead over secondplace Lens dropped to three pointsPSG started with Messi and Neymar in attack before bringing on Mbappeacute top scorer at the World Cup in Qatar early in the second half but still managed only one shot on target in the whole game under driving rainPSG coach Christophe Galtier says hell use video analysis to better understand whats going wrong with the team before making decisionsThe images will speak for themselves he said after that there will be choices to makeRennes defender Hamari Traoreacute showed how to finish in the 65th minute with a crisp low shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma into the bottom right cornerMessi sent Mbappeacute clean through moments later but he decided against curling the ball past goalkeeper Steve Mandanda and instead fired over on his 200th league appearanceNeymar was anonymous for most of the game becoming more visible near the end to argue with Rennes defenders when it was too latePSG was expected to line up with Messi Mbappeacute and Neymar for the first time since before the World Cup But Galtier surprisingly started Hugo Ekitikeacute with Mbappeacute on the bench and with 16yearold Warren ZaiumlreEmery in midfieldAlso readFIFA Awards Messi Mbappe nominated but Ronaldo misses outRennes coach Bruno Genesios bold move paid off as he selected 18yearold Lesley Ugochukwu and 17yearold Deacutesireacute Doueacute in midfield either side of Croatias Lovro MajerBrittany side Rennes again proved a tough opponent having beaten PSG to win the French Cup in 2019 and beating PSG at home 20 last seasonWe knew we were in for a difficult game and so it proved Galtier said Rennes was far too comfortable in defenseRennes stayed in fifth place because it needed to beat PSG by two goals to reclaim fourth on goal difference from Monaco and to do so without last seasons 21goal top scorer Martin Terrier He is recovering from a right knee operation and out for the rest of the seasonRennes fans held up a banner with Martin all the Rennes fans are with you and chanted his nameStriker Arnaud Kalimuendo drew the first save of the game from Donnarumma in the 27th and Rennes forward Amine Gouiri called Donnarumma into action again late in the first halfPSG looked devoid of ideas as it chased the game and just like when it lost to Lens 31 on New Years Day was dominated physically and lost most of the second ballsEarlier striker Wissam Ben Yedder scored a 14minute hat trick as Monaco routed Ajaccio 71Monaco opened the scoring in the second minute through central defender Axel Disasi followed upAjaccio was soon 20 down when midfielder Kreacutepin Diatta tapped in Vandersons cross from the rightAlgeria striker Youcef Belaiumlli replied for Ajaccio But Ben Yedder scored in the 21st and 28th minutes with neat finishes before completing his second treble of the season with a penalty in the 35thSubstitute forward Breel Embolo added two late goalsPROLIFIC FORWARDSLilles strikers clicked in style with Jonathan David and Mohamed Bayo each scoring twice in a 51 win against TroyesDavid who played for Canada at the World Cup took his league tally to 12 goals level in second place in the scoring charts with Lorients Terem Moffi and one behind Mbappeacute before PSGs gameForward Alain Virginius also scored for Lille while striker Mama Baldeacute grabbed a consolation goal for TroyesANGRY FANSMontpellier finished with nine players in a 30 home defeat to Nantes marred by some crowd disturbancesFollowing a 61 defeat at Nice in midweek Montpelliers angry fans let their feelings known by throwing flares onto the field early in the game It was temporarily suspended as the referee led players off and started again 15 minutes laterThings hardly looked up for Montpellier when Tunisias World Cupscoring forward Wahbi Khazri was sent off for a clumsy challenge on 17yearold Nantes midfielder Nathan Zeacutezeacute Deep into firsthalf stoppage time defender Andrei Girotto put the visitors aheadIt got worse for Montpellier when striker Elye Wahi was sent off midway through the second half Nantes made the most of it with striker Mostafa Mohamed and midfielder Ludovic Blas netting late goalsLastplace Angers lost 21 at home to Clermont which scored through Kosovo striker Elbasan Rashani and defender Neto Borges Moroccos World Cup winger Soufiane Boufal pulled one back for Angers late onToulouse drew 11 at home to struggling Brest and Reims drew 00 with Nice in a midtable stalemateLens and thirdplace Marseille both won on SaturdayThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever