zero points for French clubs after the elimination of Rennes by Donetsk

Le Shakhtar Donetsk a sorti Rennes. BENOIT TESSIER / REUTERS

The Bretons glimpsed the qualification against the Ukrainians, before falling in the last moments and losing on penalties.

Rennes-Shakhtar Donetsk (2-1, 4 tab 5)
Rennes : Toko-Ekambi (52^e), Salah (106^e)
Shakhtar Donetsk : Belocian (118e, csc)

Black Thursday for French football! After Monaco and Nantes earlier this Thursday, Rennes was eliminated from the Europa League in the play-offs by Shakhtar Donetsk (2-1, 4 tab 5). The Breton club, beaten in the first leg (2-1), cracked at the end of the match and a penalty shootout rich in suspense.

In the obligation to win this return barrage, Rennes immediately put enormous pressure on the Ukrainian defense. An impressive highlight. But without effect on the scoreboard. The Bretons did not know how to materialize their good start, despite chances signed Gouiri (2^e), Spence (7^e) and Truffert (10^e11^e). The intensity of the debates fell over the first period. Rennes, increasingly imprecise in their offensives, kept control but got a huge fright when Traoré thought he opened the scoring for Donetsk from a corner (22^e). A goal finally invalidated after intervention by the Var and viewing of the images by the referee.

Rennes sealed by Belocian and completed by Troubine

Back to the wall at the break, Rennes caught up shortly after the restart. On a counter initiated by Doku and relayed by Gouiri, Toko Ekambi, already a scorer in the first leg, was able to concretize the domination of his team (1-0, 52^e). Euphoric in a stadium in turmoil, the Breton club could even have doubled the bet in stride, on a counter recovery from Kalimuendo. (57^e). Abused and lacking competition, Shakhtar did not give up, and even came close to calming Rennes’ enthusiasm in regulation time. Konoplya stumbled on Mandanda (66^e) while Sikan, who entered the game, failed to push the ball deep into the empty goal (87^e).

Pushed to extra time, Rennes thought well of ensuring their qualification when Salah victoriously concluded a hard work from Doku (2-0, 106^e). The Bretons were heading straight for qualification but the meeting changed with the csc gag of Belocian at the very end of extra time (2-1, 118^e). Coming out of nowhere, Shakhtar was finally able to count on three parries from Troubine during the penalty shootout to snatch an unexpected qualification. And leave huge regrets to Stade Rennais who will quickly have to digest this failure.