PARIS: Stade Rennais, who will take part in the Champions League for the first time in their history this season, began their Ligue 1 campaign with a 1-1 draw at Lille on Saturday in a game where both teams finished with 10 men.

After Rennes defender Sacha Boey was sent off in the 35th minute for raising a foot near left back Reinildo’s head, Lille took the lead five minutes later through forward Jonathan Bamba’s low shot after being fed by Xeka.

Mozambique international Reinildo was then sent off himself two minutes before the break for a scissor challenge on the marauding Raphinha.

Rennes, who finished third last season, were the better side in the second half and they were rewarded in the 74th minute when Damien Da Silva slid home Eduardo Camavinga’s flick on from a corner to level the scores.

Camavinga, 17, pledged to stay at Rennes on Friday despite reported interest from Real Madrid in the promising midfielder.

Lille meanwhile missed departed striker Victor Osimhen, who last month moved to Serie A side Napoli for a reported 81.3 million euros ($96.4m), with Bamba’s goal the home side’s only shot on target all game.

In Saturday’s other game, Angers began their campaign on the right foot with a 1-0 win at Dijon earned thanks to Ismael Traore’s first half strike.

Ivorian Traore scored the decisive goal after 21 minutes at the Stade Gaston Gerard when he collected Sada Thioub’s shot after it ricocheted out off the post, and slotted home a calm finish which gave the away side all three points.

“I am obviously happy with the result, but also the way we dominated the match. Dijon never really troubled us,” said Angers coach Stephane Moulin.

A bad day for Dijon was made worse by defender Ngonda Muzinga pickin up a thigh injury in the first half, adding to their growing list of absentees.

The Ligue 1 season started on Friday with a goalless draw between Girondins de Bordeaux and Nantes after a five-month hiatus due to the Covid-19 crisis.

The opening weekend of the new Ligue 1 season is missing some of its biggest names after Paris Saint-Germain and Olympique Lyonnais went deep in the ‘Final Eight’ Champions League tournament in Lisbon.

A rash of coronavirus cases at Olympqiue de Marseille led to their match with St Etienne being postponed.

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2020