Following their win over Brest last time out, Les Aiglons made it back to back victories - this time at home - with a stunning 5-2 triumph over Stade Rennais.

Like fine wine, the more time passes, the better and stronger this team becomes. No matter who’s on the field, Olivier Pantaloni can count on a squad capable of stepping up at any moment. Even without its captain, Axel Witsel—who was rested due to a minor injury—the Gym found the solutions to emerge confortable victorious in a match it controlled from start to finish.

It’s no slight to the opponent’s performance to say that, this Friday night, Les Aiglons had that little something extra that allowed them to make the difference in crucial moments. The tone was set right from the start of the game. After missing an early one-on-one chance (6'), Elye Wahi was fouled in the box by a defender and was awarded a well-deserved penalty (11'). The Nice forward took matters into his own hands and opened the scoring for the Gym (1-0, 12').

Despite playing well, Nice were pegged back after 15 minutes. Rouault intercepted the ball from Sofiane Diop as Nagida broke down the wing and found Szymanski, who was unmarked at the far post and had all the time in the world to head the ball past Yehvann Diouf (1-1, 15'). Although the intensity dropped slightly after the goal, OGC Nice, spurred on by their fans, launched another assault on the Rennes goal. Hicham Boudaoui failed to find the target with his two attempts (22', 25'), while Wahi saw his half-volley in the box blocked by a Rennes defender’s foot (30'). Then, Jonathan Clauss was fouled by Valentin Rongier in the box (33'). Elye Wahi stepped up to convert the resulting penalty (2-1, 34'). The visitors tried to respond and Mousa El-Tamari missed a one-on-one chance (31), before Boulaye Dia forced a save from Diouf in the box (38'). Just as the first half was drawing to a close, Jonathan Clauss capitalised on good work by Wahi to break into the box and beat a hapless Nicolas Lemaître (3-1, 45+2').

HAT-TRICK FOR Wahi

After the break, the Aiglons continued to play high up the pitch and maintain their constant pressing. And following a superb team move, the Gym added another. A clever dribble from Hicham Boudaoui in midfield allowed him to set up Sofiane Diop, who sent Mohammed Amoura through to produce the kind of solo run only he is capable of. After beating his man, the Algerian international beat Lemaître with a fine shot into the far corner (4–1, 52').

Stade Rennais thought they were staging a comeback when Boulaye Dia converted a penalty won by Mousa El-Tamari (4–2, 58'). But a fine save by Diouf (61'), followed by a goal disallowed for offside by Nagida (70'), put an end to Rennes’ hopes. Elye 'The King' Wahi dashed any remaining glimmers of hope for the visitors by completing his hat-trick with his sixth goal of the season (5–2, 73').

Diouf was on hand to produce one final save on his goal line (90+2'), as Les Aiglons recorded their biggest win of the season against their second-placed opponents - a result that sees Le Gym climb to provisional seventh in the Ligue 1 standings.