Rennes 2 Brentford 4: Returning Thiago among scorers in pre-season victory | OneFootball

Igor Thiago, Ethan Pinnock, Dango Ouattara and Callum Wilson were on target as Brentford beat Rennes 4-2 in an entertaining pre-season encounter at Roazhon Park on Saturday.

The six-goal contest provided another valuable test for Keith Andrews’ side in their penultimate friendly of the summer, with the Bees’ Premier League curtain-raiser against Tottenham Hotspur on 22 August now just two weeks away.

Thiago led the line for Brentford, the striker making his first appearance of pre-season following his late return to the group after representing Brazil at the World Cup.

Back on French soil, Mamadou Sangaré, who signed from Lens this month, lined up in midfield.

The Bees made a bright start in Brittany. Jaidon Anthony spun away from his man and released Mathias Jensen down the right. The midfielder’s low cross found Thiago in the box, but the striker was unable to bring the ball under control and Rennes cleared behind for a corner.

At the other end, Estéban Lepaul, Ligue 1's 21-goal top scorer last season, lashed wide of Caoimhín Kelleher’s left post.

Vitaly Janelt exchanged passes with Jensen from a short corner before delivering a deep cross towards Thiago, who nodded wide.

Rennes quickly broke down the other end, Kelleher parrying Ludovic Blas' low drive from outside the box.

Brentford took the lead on 19 minutes. Jensen whipped an in-swinging corner towards the back post, where Thiago rose highest to head beyond Kilian Belazzoug before celebrating with the 400 travelling Bees fans in the corner of Roazhon Park.

Andrews’ side doubled their lead nine minutes later, this time from a corner on the opposite side. Janelt curled the ball into the six-yard box and Pinnock powered his header home.

The Bees then came close to a third. Dango Ouattara latched on to Thiago’s through ball and opted to go for goal, driving towards the near post, but Belazzoug tipped his effort around the upright.

Sebastian Szymański tested Kelleher from 20 yards, the Brentford goalkeeper pushing away his fierce strike.

Brentford’s high press was almost rewarded on the stroke of half-time. The west Londoners won possession inside the Rennes penalty area and Jensen fed Thiago, whose shot was blocked.

Rennes pulled a goal back less than 60 seconds after the restart, Szymański meeting the ball first time on the edge of the box and stroking his effort into the bottom corner.

Brentford immediately restored their two-goal advantage. Callum Wilson, who replaced Thiago at the break, received the ball in the penalty area before sending a low delivery across the face of goal for Ouattara to turn home.

Wilson then turned from provider to scorer two minutes later, his low strike arrowing across goal and into the far corner.

Kelleher got down quickly to his right, getting a strong hand to Lepaul’s strike to push the ball away.

Brentford’s keeper was called into action again when Lepaul’s long-range effort took a wicked deflection off Aaron Hickey, but the Brentford goalkeeper adjusted quickly to make the save.

Aboubakar Nagida’s cross from the left was met by Anthony Rouault, whose header was comfortably held by Kelleher.

Rennes scored their second goal on 71 minutes. Wilson initially headed clear a corner from the right, but Valentin Rongier was in the right place to volley home from close range.

A thoroughly entertaining game finished with a flourish. Amadou Diallo got in behind the Brentford backline, but his tame effort from the left side of the box was comfortably dealt with by Kelleher.

At the other end, Fábio Carvalho struck the base of the post with a low, curling effort from inside the D, before Wilson was denied a second goal from close range after connecting with Jayden Meghoma’s cross.

Brentford complete their pre-season schedule against Eintracht Frankfurt next Saturday, with the German side visiting Gtech Community Stadium.

Rennes: Belazzoug; Frankowski (Reynolds 86), Aït Boudlal, Cresswell (Rouault 64), Nagida (Merlin 26); Rongier (Camara 78), Thomasson, Szymański (Mayenda 86); Soumaré (Diallo 86), Lepaul, Blas

Brentford: Kelleher; Hickey (Arthur 64), Collins, Pinnock, Lewis-Potter; Janelt, Jensen, Sangaré (Carvalho 64); Ouattara (Mawene 87), Thiago (Wilson HT), Anthony (Meghoma 64)

Andrews happy with pre-season performance that 'looked like us'

Brentford head coach Keith Andrews was encouraged by his side’s performance in Saturday’s 4-2 pre-season win over Rennes at Roazhon Park.

“I’m pleased with a lot of aspects of the game,” said Andrews. “When you start building a pre-season programme, you want to try and hit certain parts of the game at certain stages of pre-season.

“The obvious one is the physical output that the players were able to put into it, to put them in a good place for the next few weeks and beyond.

“I thought we had some really good play today, some really intelligent football, and a performance that looked like us, which isn’t always the case in some pre-season games as you build towards that. That was pretty pleasing.”

Andrews also praised the travelling support in Rennes: “They’ve been starved of football, haven’t they? A little bit like me, I’ve been itching to get into a stadium and get back into the flow of it!

“It was lovely to see so many of them here.”

Callum Wilson: 'It’s nice to be getting chances in this team'

Wilson reflected positively on Brentford’s performance in France, with the striker pleased to contribute a goal and an assist after replacing Igor Thiago at half-time.

“We’re delighted,” he said. “It was a tough test in this weather against a good team.

“As the game went on, you could see people getting tired and mistakes happening, which let them back in, but overall it was a good performance and a good win.

“I was delighted to get on the scoresheet and to help other people, but I’m disappointed I didn’t score more. It’s a feeling of frustration, but that’s the striker in me.

“It’s nice to be getting chances in this team.”