Jullien brings down Hunou and the away side are awarded a free-kick inside the Celtic half.
90' +2
The hosts are content to just work the ball around inside their own half as they look to see out the remaining minutes.
90'
There will be four added minutes at the end of this match.
89'
A. Hunou has scored a goal for Rennes! Assist by F. Maouassa.
Despite lacking quality in the offensive third for the majority of the game, Maouassa’s delivery into the box was inch-perfect for Hunou to attack and turn beyond the Celtic goalkeeper. That was a really inviting cross.
GOAL! Rennes pull one back! Maouassa whips a dangerous cross into the centre of the box from the left flank and, after getting across the Celtic defenders, Hunou nods the delivery beyond Forster and into the back of the net. 3-1.
84'
Ntcham slides a reverse pass into the path of Johnston who sees his low ball into the box turned behind for a corner by Boey. The resulting set-piece is easily claimed by Mendy.
83'
Taylor picks up a rather needless yellow card for time wasting down the left flank prior to a Rennes throw-in.
82'
G. Taylor gets yellow.
80'
Y. Gboho enters the game and replaces F. Tait.
Gboho enters the fray in place of Tait as Stephan makes his final change with 10 minutes remaining.
Bourigeaud looks for Da Cunha with a throughball, but the attacker just went a fraction too early and is flagged for offside by the referee’s assistant.
79'
L. Griffiths enters the game and replaces R. Christie.
The hosts make their final substitution of the match as Christie comes off for Griffiths.
Minute
Description
77'
B. Bourigeaud gets yellow.
Bourigeaud goes into the book after a poor challenge on Taylor in the centre of the park. He can have no complaints with that decision.
76'
N. Bitton enters the game and replaces S. Brown.
Lennon also decides to make another change following that third goal as Brown, the captain, comes off the field in place of Bitton. There are just under 15 minutes of normal time left to play.
74'
A. Hunou enters the game and replaces R. Del Castillo.
M. Johnston has scored a goal for Celtic! Assist by O. Ntcham.
GOAL! Johnston adds another for Celtic! The substitute played a clever little one-two with Ntcham on the edge of the area before skipping beyond Maouassa and firing a right-footed shot into the bottom left corner. 3-0.
The quick thinking of Ntcham and Johnston pulled the Rennes defence apart and, after being sent through on goal by the French midfielder’s perfect return ball, the Scottish attacker kept his cool and beat Mendy with a well-placed finish. A wonderful goal.
The away side respond to going three goals behind by making a second alteration. Del Castillo is replaced by Hunou.
71'
Mendy is very alert to come off his line and beat Jullien to Christie’s cross at the near post. The goalkeeper wins a free-kick for his efforts after being caught by the Celtic defender.
69'
Stephan’s side are coming on strong as we approach the final 20 minutes. An in-swinging corner from the left is delivered into a dangerous area, but Forster is quickly out to punch it clear.
67'
M. Johnston enters the game and replaces J. Forrest.
The hosts opt to make their first change of the match with Johnston coming onto the field in place of Forrest.
65'
L. da Cunha enters the game and replaces R. Guitane.
The away side make their first change for the match as Guitane makes way for Da Cunha. It remains 2-0.
63'
Lennon’s team win a free-kick in a dangerous area down the left wing after Taylor was brought down by Del Castillo. The home side work it short as they look to keep hold of possession.
61'
G. Nyamsi gets yellow.
Nyamsi picks up a yellow card for dragging Morgan to the floor after the makeshift Celtic forward skipped beyond him during a quick counter.
55'
S. Brown gets yellow.
Brown clatters Lea Siliki with a late challenge and the Celtic captain can have no complaints after picking up a yellow card for that tackle. He will now miss the hosts’ final group match.
54'
Bourigeaud steers the ball behind for a corner with Ntcham lurking in the area following a cross from the right. Christie clips it to the edge of the box where Forrest meets it with a first-volley which Nyamsi blocks.
53'
Bauer attempts to combine with Ntcham down the right-hand side after sending a throughball down the line. The French midfielder didn’t expect the return pass and it goes out for a goal-kick to Rennes.
51'
McGregor catches Lea Siliki from behind and Rennes are awarded a free-kick just inside the Celtic half. Bourigeaud floats the ball into the hosts’ penalty area, but the set-piece comes to nothing as Tait eventually hits a cross out for a goal-kick.
49'
Morgan presses Gnagnon on the edge of the away side’s box and forces the defender to clear the ball towards the halfway line.
48'
Mendy plays a long, searching ball down field for Siebatcheu, but the referee’s assistant had his flag up for offside against the forward.
46'
We are back underway! Eskas, the referee, blows his whistle and Celtic get the second half kicked off.
45' +2
HALF TIME: CELTIC 2-0 RENNES
45' +1
R. Christie has scored a goal for Celtic! Assist by S. Brown.
GOAL! What a strike! Christie makes it two on the stroke of half-time! Rennes fail to clear their lines allowing Brown to nod the ball into the path of Christie. The midfielder cuts inside before firing a left-footed shot into the bottom right corner from the edge of the box. 2-0.
Brown does what he does best and nips in to win the ball back for Celtic in a dangerous area, which allows Christie to turn and drive into the open space. The Scotsman’s effort from range bounced in front of Mendy before flying beyond him and doubling the hosts’ advantage. That’s a perfect time to score.
45'
There will be one added minute at the end of the first half.
44'
Celtic win another corner to the left after Boey once again put it behind and, following a number of ricochets, the away side eventually managed to clear their lines.
40'
Guitane attempts to send Tait away down the left flank with a lofted throughball, but the attacker’s pass is overhit and runs out for a throw-in.
38'
Forrest clips a decent cross into the box from the left-hand side of the penalty area. In coming out to claim it, Mendy is clattered by Christie and the visitors win a free-kick inside their own box.
36'
R. Christie gets yellow.
Christie is the latest player to go into the book after clipping Lea Siliki’s ankle with a slightly late challenge on the edge of the Rennes box.
34'
In the other match in Group E, Joaquin Correa has given Lazio the lead against Cluj. If both results stay the same, that means that Celtic will secure top spot.
32'
Lea Siliki whips a free-kick in from the left wing after Christie brought down Tait. The delivery is sent deep into the box and Brown is well placed to hook it to safety at the back post.
30'
Christie is clipped by Lea Siliki’s sliding tackle and the hosts win a free-kick deep inside their own half.
27'
Lea Siliki gets above Jullien to clear McGregor’s deep corner from the left after Boey was forced to turn it behind.
23'
Christie is penalized for a handball and Rennes win a free-kick inside their own half.
21'
L. Morgan has scored a goal for Celtic! Assist by J. Forrest.
Taylor and Forrest have been a real threat down the left-hand side of the field ever since the very first whistle. Taylor’s throughball was perfectly weighted for Forrest to get on the end of, before the winger layed it off perfectly for Morgan to convert. A really well-worked goal.
GOAL! Celtic take the lead! Taylor lays the ball down the left wing for Forrest who sends a low pass back across goal. Morgan peeled away form Nyamsi before firing the delivery beyond Mendy and into the bottom left corner from the centre of the box. 1-0.
20'
Celtic are enjoying a spell of sustained possession at present. Brown floats the ball over to the right for Bauer, who sees his low cross blocked by Gnagnon.
16'
Siebatcheu draws a foul from Jullien on the halfway line after being impeded from behind. The early fouls have impacted the flow of the game in the opening exchanges.
14'
Guitane skips beyond McGregor in the centre of the pitch before being dispossessed by Brown who slid in to reclaim possession for the hosts.
12'
Morgan is dragged to the floor by Lea Siliki and Lennon’s team win a free-kick down the right-hand side of the field.
11'
Celtic win a corner to the left after Taylor’s cross was deflected behind by Boey. Christie’s out-swinging delivery is nodded out of the danger area by Lea Siliki.
10'
J. Siebatcheu gets yellow.
Siebatcheu is the first player to receive a yellow card after cynically pulling back Ntcham as the midfielder looked to drive at the Rennes’ defense.
8'
Ntcham floats a dangerous ball over the top of the away side’s defence, but Forrest’s low cross back into the area is easily hooked to safety by Nyamsi.
5'
Del Castillo presses Taylor high up the field and denies the full-back making a dangerous forward pass to Forrest.
3'
The home side have settled into a nice early rhythm as they look to work the ball around in deep areas. Ajer finds Taylor with a throughball down the left flank, but Boey gets across to knock it out for a throw-in.
1'
Kick off! The referee, Espen Eskas, blows his whistle and Rennes get the game underway.
Hello and welcome to live match coverage of the Europa League fixture in Group E between Celtic and Rennes at Celtic Park.
The home side come into this clash looking to strengthen their grip on top spot after they secured qualification by beating Lazio 2-1 last time out in Europe. Rennes, meanwhile, cannot progress to the next round but will be seeking to secure their first win of the group stage following their 1-0 loss to CFR Cluj in their previous match in Group E.
CELTIC (4-2-3-1): Fraser Forster; Moritz Bauer, Christopher Jullien, Kristoffer Ajer, Greg Taylor; Scott Brown, Callum McGregor; James Forrest, Ryan Christie, Lewis Morgan; Oliver Ntcham.
RENNES (4-4-2): Edouard Mendy; Sacha Boey, Joris Gnagnon, Gerzino Nyamsi, Faitout Maouassa; Benjamin Bourigeaud, Rafik Guitane, James Lea Siliki, Flavien Tait; Romain Del Castillo, Jordan Siebatcheu.
CELTIC SUBS: Craig Gordon, Nir Bitton, Tom Rogic, Scott Robertson, Scott Sinclair, Michael Johnston, Leigh Griffiths.
RENNES SUBS: Romain Salin, Damien Da Silva, Jeremy Gelin, Souleyman Doumbia, Yann Gboho, Adrien Hunou, Lucas Da Cunha.
The hosts have enjoyed an unbeaten run thus far in the group stage having won three of their opening four games. Lennon’s side will progress to the knockout stages of the competition as the winners of Group E if Cluj suffer defeat to Lazio and the reigning Scottish champions defeat Rennes. The visitors, meanwhile, are still searching for their first European victory of the season. Julien Stephan’s team have scored just two goals since matchday one, and will need to improve offensively if they are to put a dent in Celtic’s ambitions of finishing as group leaders.
The teams are out, and kick-off will soon be upon us here at Celtic Park.
The home side will be delighted with their first-half display and will look to continue in much the same fashion after the restart. Taylor and Forrest have caused real problems down the left flank with Celtic’s width being the source of many of their chances. Rennes, on the other hand, will need to improve after the break if they are to get anything from this match. Siebatcheu has been far too isolated thus far and getting players in and around him will be crucial in creating chances in the second half.
Celtic travel to face second-placed Cluj next time out after securing their position at the top of Group E. Rennes, meanwhile, host Lazio in their final group match.
That brings an end to our coverage of the Europa League fixture in Group E between Celtic and Rennes at Celtic Park. Thank you very much for joining us. Goodbye!
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