Stade Rennais FC moved to the provisional top of Ligue 1 on Saturday night with a convincing 3-0 victory over Racing Club de Strasbourg at Roazhon Park. A brace from Sebastian Szymański and an opener from Boulaye Dia gave the Bretons three precious points and first place in the standings with 16 points. This win on 25 October, which saw Dia open the scoring in the 34th minute and Szymański score in the 41st and 61st, ends a run of five league games without a win, with a recent form of zero wins, one draw and four defeats.

Stade Rennais FC manager Franck Haise was pleased with the collective performance. "The Bretons can already be pleased with their fine performance this Sunday," he said after the match. His team mastered the eighth matchday perfectly, ending a run of four league games without a win.

First goal validated by VAR

The opening goal came in the 34th minute from Boulaye Dia, assisted by Przemysław Frankowski. Referee Rudy Buquet had initially disallowed the goal for offside before the Video Assistant Referee ultimately validated the action. This goal freed the Stade Rennais FC players, who quickly increased their dominance. Just before half-time, Sebastian Szymański doubled the lead with a well-placed strike, set up by Mahamadou Nagida.

The Polish midfielder then sealed the match on the hour mark, scoring a superb goal from the edge of the box. This strike, considered one of the best of the matchday, made it 3-0. Hugo Oliveira's team never found a way to trouble Alfred Gomis, who kept a clean sheet.

A difficult context before the break

This comprehensive victory comes at the perfect time for Stade Rennais FC, who had been in poor recent form with just one point from their last five league matches. The win over Strasbourg breaks a run of four defeats in Ligue 1, including a 1-0 loss at Laval on 2 October. This poor sequence also included a 2-2 draw at Juventus on 22 October and a 4-3 defeat at Paris FC on 18 October. Despite this tough period, striker E. Lepaul remains the club's top scorer this season with seven goals in seven appearances.

The Rouge et Noir can now approach their trip to Nice on Saturday 31 October with more confidence. This away fixture, will be another test to confirm this positive momentum before the international break. Saturday's victory puts Stade Rennais FC in a strong position in the title race, with a slight advantage at the top of the table.

More detail at Le Figaro Sport

Franck Haise praised his team's response after the 3-0 win over Strasbourg on October 25. "When there’s spirit and character, it helps you bounce back quickly," said the manager. He highlighted the solidity brought by the three-centre-back system. The staff is satisfied with the answers provided on the pitch. The next challenge is away to Nice on October 31.