Koffi’s Heroics Earn Angers a Point Against Dominant Rennes

ANGERS – A goalkeeping masterclass from Hervé Koffi ensured Angers SCO secured a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Stade Rennais at the Stade Raymond Kopa, extending Rennes’ unbeaten run in this fixture to six competitive matches.

The result sees both sides maintain identical records after three Ligue 1 matchdays, each with a win, a draw, and a loss.

Rennes, looking to bounce back from a heavy 4-0 defeat to Lorient, started brightly and were the more threatening side throughout much of the contest. Their pressure told late in the first half when former Angers striker Esteban Lepaul made an immediate impact against his old club. The forward, who left Angers just days prior, showed a poacher’s instinct to calmly slot home Quentin Merlin’s precise pass, offering a muted celebration after giving the visitors the lead.

Angers, however, responded with resilience after the break. Just six minutes into the second half, 18-year-old Prosper Peter announced himself, meeting Yassine Belkhdim’s excellent near-post cross with a powerful header that flew past Brice Samba to level the score.

The remainder of the game became a one-man show, with Angers’ goalkeeper Koffi single-handedly preserving the point. The shot-stopper made a series of superb saves to deny efforts from Ludovic Blas, Mohamed Kader Meïté, and even a fierce strike from his own teammate, Quentin Merlin, which he tipped over the bar.

Angers thought they had snatched a dramatic winner against the run of play when Lilian Raolisoa fired in a stunning long-range effort, but the goal was correctly ruled out for an offside in the build-up.

The draw means Angers’ poor home record against Rennes continues, having beaten their European-chasing opponents only once in their last nine meetings at the Stade Raymond Kopa. For Rennes, while not the victory they desired, the point and performance represent a positive response to their previous heavy defeat.