Rennes mount comeback to upset Ligue 1 leader Marseille; Metz top Nice
RENNES, France --
Philipp Hosiner scored the winner in added time as Rennes came from a goal down to beat league leader Marseille 2-1 in a third-round upset in the French League Cup on Wednesday.
The Austrian forward beat keeper Brice Samba with a back-heel shot after Cheik Mbengue's strike took a deflection in the area. It was Marseille's second consecutive defeat after losing 1-0 to Lyon in the league to see its lead over Paris Saint-Germain cut to four points.
Michy Batshuayi opened the scoring for Marseille in the 19th minute, with Anders Konradsen equalizing with a header from a free kick. Both teams were reduced to 10 men after Rennes' Paul George Ntep and Marseille's Brice Dja Djedje were sent off following an altercation in the 64th minute.
Metz clinched a thriller to advance in the Coupe de la Ligue as they beat Nice 3-2 on penalties after both sides could not be separated at 3-3 after extra-time at the Allianz Riviera.
Metz could have been forgiven for thinking they would cruise into the next round much sooner after they raced into a formidable-looking 3-0 lead after 17 minutes - that dream soon shattered. Jose Palomino opened the scoring for Les Grenats five minutes in, before Modibo Maiga doubled their advantage in the 13th minute and striker Thibaut Vion made it 3-0 four minutes later.
Nice responded quickly to make things interesting, with strikes from Neal Maupay and Alexy Bosetti capping off a frenetic five-goal first half, but Les Aiglons still looked like they were heading out until Dario Cvitanich equalised from the spot in the 88th minute to send it to extra time. Both sides held firm during the additional half an hour, but it was Metz who eventually edged a tense shootout after Mathieu Bodmer, Cvitanich and Bosetti all failed to score penalties for Nice.
In the other cup clash on Wednesday, Rennes came from behind to beat Marseille 2-1 courtesy of a last-gasp winner from Austrian striker Philipp Hosiner. Belgian Michy Batshuayi put Marseille in front in the 19th minute with his first goal since signing for L'OM in the summer, before Anders Konradsen hit back for Rennes on the hour mark.
With the game finely poised, a scuffle led to both sides being reduced to 10 men as Rennes' Paul-Georges Ntep and Marseilles' Brice Dja Djedje were given their marching orders, before Hosiner settled the tie in the third minute of stoppage time.
Information from FOXSoccer.com's newswire services contributed to this report.
