Rennes vs Guingamp

Rennes needed only 11 minutes to open the scoring. Issa Soumaré, starting as the central striker, collected a pass inside the Guingamp box and finished past Adrián Ortolá for 1-0.

Guingamp responded sharply seven minutes later. Stanislas Kielt equalised in the 18th minute, punishing a Rennes lapse in concentration to beat goalkeeper Kilian Belazzoug.

But Rennes re-established control before the half-hour mark. Estéban Lepaul, the former Angers forward, found space in the area and fired home in the 25th minute to make it 2-1 — a lead they carried into the interval.

Both managers overhauled their line-ups at half-time, as is customary in pre-season friendlies. Rennes sent on Bryan Reynolds, Anthony Rouault, Quentin Merlin, Mahdi Camara, Arnaud Nordin and Eliezer Mayenda, while Guingamp made six changes of their own.

A further triple change on the hour mark from Rennes introduced Djaoui Cissé, Henrick Do Marcolino, Gonçalo Oliveira and Nordan Mukiele. Cissé made the decisive impact, scoring in the 81st minute to seal the 3-1 win.

Guingamp had stayed in the contest at 2-1 and carried threat on the counter-attack after the break. But Franck Haise's triple substitution in the 63rd minute — bringing on Cissé, Do Marcolino, Oliveira and Mukiele — injected fresh energy. Cissé's goal 18 minutes later removed any doubt, and Guingamp's chances of a late equaliser evaporated.

Issa Soumaré — The Senegalese striker opened the scoring with a composed finish and led the line effectively for the first 45 minutes. His movement created space for Lepaul's goal.

Estéban Lepaul — The 24-year-old forward scored his first goal of pre-season with a well-taken finish in the 25th minute, continuing his bid for a starting role under Haise.

Djaoui Cissé — The substitute made the strongest impact from the bench, scoring the third goal in the 81st minute that sealed the result.

Valentin Rongier — The captain anchored the midfield for the first hour, orchestrating play and providing structure as Rennes built their lead.

Player of the match: Issa Soumaré.

Rennes made 6 substitutions compared to Guingamp's 11 — a reflection of Haise's desire to build continuity in the first hour before rotating. The match produced no cards, which is typical of pre-season friendlies. The provider data shows 4 goals from 4 different scorers, with no player scoring more than once. Rennes led 2-1 at half-time and controlled the second period.

Guingamp fielded a largely experimental line-up featuring several young players (Jasser Chamakh, Samir Ben Brahim, Ilias Miraoui), which helps explain why they faded after the break despite matching Rennes for long stretches of the first half.

This was Rennes' second pre-season friendly of summer 2026, following a 1-2 defeat to SM Caen on 9 July. The win over Guingamp provides momentum ahead of a stiffer test against Belgian side Club Bruges KV at Roazhon Park on 25 July. Rennes then face Brentford (8 August in a double-header) and Sunderland (15 August at the Stadium of Light) before opening their Ligue 1 campaign at Paris Saint-Germain on 23 August.

For Guingamp, this was part of their build-up to the Ligue 2 season. The Brittany derby rivals showed promise in spells — particularly through Kielt's goal — but will need greater depth to compete across 90 minutes.

A professional, controlled pre-season performance from Rennes. They absorbed Guingamp's equaliser quickly, retook the lead before half-time, and used their superior depth to close out the win in the second period. The sight of Cissé scoring from the bench is exactly what Haise will want to see as he builds his squad for the season ahead. Guingamp will take positives from the first half but must address their drop-off after the break.

Match played on 17 July 2026 at Stade Paul Audrin, Dinard. Attendance: not officially published. Referee: not listed in available data.