Angers eye win against Rennes as Gilli hails tactical success.

Rennes, meanwhile, have continued to thrive under Franck Haise, who has overseen nine victories from his first 14 matches in charge [9W 2D, 3L]. Their latest success came last weekend, when they edged newly promoted Le Mans 3-2. Another victory would give Haise 10 Ligue 1 wins faster than any previous Les Rouge et Noirs manager, but their away record threatens to delay that achievement. Rennes have not won their opening league away match of a season since 2019/20, drawing four and losing two since then [0W, 4D, 2L]. They have also lost their last two league away fixtures, conceding seven goals in the process, highlighting a vulnerability that Angers will hope to exploit. The visitors will miss the services of goalkeeper Brice Samba due to injury. A 4—1—2—3 pattern with the trio of Musa Al-Taamari, Issa Soumaré, and Esteban Lepaul starting upfront is expected against Les Noirs et Blancs.

Angers SCO vs Stade Rennais F.C. kicks off at 16:15 [GMT+1] on Sunday, September 6, at Stade Raymond Kopa. Angers will look to make it back-to-back Ligue 1 victories when they welcome Rennes this game week, although their recent record against their Brittany opponent makes that a daunting prospect. After opening the campaign with a 2-0 defeat to Lille, Les Scoïstes finally ended a 10-match winless run in the division last weekend by beating Auxerre 3-1. Head coach Stéphane Gilli believes the tactical adjustments in training actually translate into success on the pitch, saying, “It’s never easy to come and win in Auxerre. We’re putting things in place, and the victory validates our work.” That victory, their first in Ligue 1 since March, came courtesy of four draws and six defeats [0W 4D, 6L] and should provide a timely confidence boost. Les Noirs et Blancs will now attempt to avoid losing their opening two home league matches for only the second time this century. However, their record at Stade Raymond Kopa remains a concern, particularly in attack. Among the ever-present Ligue 1 clubs since the start of last season, Angers have scored the fewest home goals, with just 18. Their struggles against Rennes are even more pronounced. Les Scoïstes have won twice in their last 20 top-flight meetings with Les Rouge et Noir [2W, 4D, 14L]. Angers will therefore need to produce another spirited performance to end that long-standing trend. They head into this fixture without the recuperating Haris Belkebla and Louis Mouton. Amine El Ouazzani is expected at the attacking end of Les Scoïstes’ 4—2—3—1 pattern against the visitors.