Promoted Dijon were given a harsh introduction to life in Ligue 1 as Rennes romped to a 5-1 victory.
Ligue 1 newcomers stunned in opening clash
Promoted Dijon were given a harsh introduction to life in Ligue 1 as Rennes romped to a 5-1 victory at the Stade Gaston Gerard.
Victor Montano and Julian Feret put the visitors 2-0 up after the latter had missed an earlier penalty, but Brice Jovial halved the deficit before half-time.
Abdoulrazak Boukari restored the two-goal cushion and, after Dijon's Gregory Thil also failed from the spot, Kader Mangane and Alexander Tettey completed the rout.
The top-flight newcomers were first to threaten as Thomas Guerbert's drive was turned around the post, before Jean-Daniel Padovani kept out Victor Montano's diving header at the other end.
Montano shot over and was then felled in the box by Steven Paulle, but Feret wasted a chance to open the scoring from the spot.
The breakthrough was not long in coming, though, as Jonathan Pitroipa's long pass was flicked on by Boukari and Montano slotted home.
Lead
Feret quickly doubled his side's lead, volleying home after good work from Montano.
But Dijon responded and Jovial saw a 15-yard drive repelled by keeper Benoit Costil before finding the net on the stroke of half-time, heading home after Gregory Thil chested Guerbert's corner into his path.
Any momentum that may have given Dijon was lost five minutes after the restart, though, when Zakaria Diallo was caught in possession and Boukari raced through to finish past Padovani.
And Thil missed the opportunity to quickly get his side back in the game once more. He was felled by Pitroipa's two-footed challenge and sent Costil the wrong way from the spot, but his effort struck the post and rebounded to safety.
Mangane made it 4-1 when he headed in Feret's corner in the 74th minute and Costil saved from Raphael Caceres before Tettey dribbled past Abdoulaye Meite to net Rennes' fifth.
