Match ends, Rennes 1, Chelsea 2.

Chelsea sealed their progress to the Champions League knockout stage with two games to spare as Olivier Giroud's late header secured victory at Rennes.
The French striker has played just 127 minutes for the Blues so far this season, but made the most of his time on the pitch here with an injury-time finish after Timo Werner's effort had been blocked.
Just six minutes earlier, Rennes looked to have denied Chelsea when Serhou Guirassy headed home from a corner to cancel out Callum Hudson-Odoi's opener.
Frank Lampard's side dominated the first half and could easily have led by more than just Hudson-Odoi's calm finish after he had been sent clear by a pinpoint pass from Mason Mount.
They invited the home side on in the second half and had to rely on a defence that included the returning Thiago Silva and goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, who made a couple of good saves against his former club.
A late winner for Sevilla means both they and the Blues have 10 points in Group E, nine more than both Rennes and Krasnodar.
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Game management
Lampard spoke before Tuesday's match of Chelsea's need to get their Champions League business done early, and will be delighted with the outcome.
Almost as important as sealing qualification is the fact Chelsea can now rest players for the final two group games, which come during a relentless December packed with tough fixtures.
Their remaining games - against Sevilla and Krasnodar - fall between league fixtures against Tottenham, Leeds and Everton as part of eight games in a month.
They will want to take the clash in Spain more seriously, with Julen Lopetegui's side having matched the Blues in a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge and their only rivals for top spot, which in theory brings an easier tie in the last 16.
They will be full of confidence, though, having won six matches on the spin since following up that Sevilla stalemate with another at Manchester United in late October.
Tuesday's victory could have been a bit less stressful for them had they finished the two other clear-cut chances that fell their way during their early dominance.
However, either side of Hudson-Odoi's goal, Werner somehow found a way to scoop a shot from six yards over the bar and Mount saw a poked effort clawed wide by home keeper Alfred Gomis.
Rennes deserved the leveller when it came towards the end of a second-half display that was full of endeavour but so often short of ruthlessness in front of goal. It is clear to see why they had gone over five hours without a goal prior to Guirassy's header.
But Chelsea recovered to take the points thanks to the ever-reliable Giroud, who was sent on by Lampard in the 69th minute and rewarded his boss in the 91st with his 30th goal for the club.
'A tough, hard-fought win'
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard, talking to BT Sport: "I'm very happy to qualify with two games to spare. It was a really tough match, they're a very good team. Their recent form doesn't reflect how good they are, it was a tough, hard-fought win.
On balancing the team with Spurs at the weekend: "We have to prioritise the game in front of us but we're aware of where we are in the league and that Sunday is a big game.
"It always will be because of the rivalry and they are a great team and now it's just about preparing well. They'll have a day off tomorrow and then come Thursday morning we'll start thinking about Spurs properly."
Chelsea make it 16 out of 17
- Rennes have won just one of their last 11 games in European competition (D2 L8).
- Chelsea have made the knockout stages in 16 of their 17 Champions League seasons (only failing in 2012/13).
- Rennes have managed just one clean sheet in their last 14 games in European competition (2-0 v Lazio in December 2019 in the Europa League).
- Chelsea have won three consecutive Champions League matches for the first time since December 2015.
- Chelsea are unbeaten in 13 games in all competitions, their longest run without defeat since November 2018 (18).
- Since his first European appearance for Chelsea in October 2018, Callum Hudson-Odoi has netted six goals in European competition, a haul bettered only by Olivier Giroud for the Blues in that time (12).
- Since the start of last season, Mason Mount has registered eight assists for Chelsea in all competition, a joint-high among players still with the club (also 8 for Azpilicueta and Abraham).
- Olivier Giroud is just the fourth player to score for both Chelsea and Arsenal in the Champions League (also Anelka, Fabregas and Gallas).
Player of the match
GiroudOlivier Giroud
Rennes
Avg
- Squad number10Player nameCamavingaAverage rating
6.52
- Squad number18Player nameDokuAverage rating
6.30
- Squad number14Player nameBourigeaudAverage rating
6.27
- Squad number9Player nameGuirassyAverage rating
6.27
- Squad number11Player nameNiangAverage rating
6.12
- Squad number15Player nameNzonziAverage rating
6.07
- Squad number16Player nameGomisAverage rating
6.06
- Squad number8Player nameGrenierAverage rating
6.00
- Squad number27Player nameTraoréAverage rating
5.99
- Squad number17Player nameFaitout MaouassaAverage rating
5.91
- Squad number31Player nameTruffertAverage rating
5.90
- Squad number22Player nameDel CastilloAverage rating
5.90
- Squad number3Player nameDa SilvaAverage rating
5.88
- Squad number19Player nameGbohoAverage rating
5.84
- Squad number12Player nameLea SilikiAverage rating
5.74
- Squad number4Player nameNyamsiAverage rating
5.61
Chelsea
Avg
- Squad number18Player nameGiroudAverage rating
8.43
- Squad number16Player nameMendyAverage rating
7.76
- Squad number22Player nameZiyechAverage rating
7.54
- Squad number7Player nameKantéAverage rating
7.48
- Squad number20Player nameHudson-OdoiAverage rating
7.48
- Squad number19Player nameMountAverage rating
7.34
- Squad number6Player nameThiago SilvaAverage rating
7.23
- Squad number15Player nameZoumaAverage rating
6.80
- Squad number9Player nameAbrahamAverage rating
6.72
- Squad number28Player nameAzpilicuetaAverage rating
6.68
- Squad number29Player nameHavertzAverage rating
6.67
- Squad number24Player nameJamesAverage rating
6.63
- Squad number21Player nameChilwellAverage rating
6.56
- Squad number17Player nameKovacicAverage rating
6.47
- Squad number11Player nameWernerAverage rating
6.31
- Squad number5Player nameJorginhoAverage rating
6.09
Line-ups
Rennes
Formation 4-3-3
- 16Gomis
- 27Traoré
- 3Da Silva
- 4Nyamsi
- 31TruffertSubstituted forMaouassaat 86'minutes
- 10CamavingaSubstituted forGrenierat 78'minutesBooked at 87mins
- 15Nzonzi
- 14BourigeaudBooked at 90mins
- 18DokuSubstituted forGbohoat 86'minutes
- 9GuirassySubstituted forNiangat 86'minutes
- 12Lea SilikiSubstituted forDel Castilloat 63'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Salin
- 8Grenier
- 11Niang
- 17Maouassa
- 19Gboho
- 20Tait
- 22Del Castillo
- 23Hunou
- 32Assignon
- 34Soppy
- 35Rutter
- 38Omari
Chelsea
Formation 4-3-3
- 16Mendy
- 28Azpilicueta
- 15Zouma
- 6Thiago Silva
- 21Chilwell
- 17KovacicSubstituted forHavertzat 76'minutes
- 5Jorginho
- 19MountSubstituted forKantéat 68'minutes
- 20Hudson-OdoiSubstituted forZiyechat 75'minutes
- 9AbrahamSubstituted forGiroudat 69'minutes
- 11WernerSubstituted forJamesat 90+2'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Arrizabalaga
- 2Rüdiger
- 3Alonso
- 4Christensen
- 7Kanté
- 13Caballero
- 14Tomori
- 18Giroud
- 22Ziyech
- 24James
- 29Havertz
- 33Emerson
- Referee:
- Björn Kuipers
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home51%
- Away49%
- Shots
- Home13
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home5
- Away5
- Corners
- Home11
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home13
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Rennes 1, Chelsea 2.
Booking
Benjamin Bourigeaud (Rennes) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Benjamin Bourigeaud (Rennes).
Post update
Kurt Zouma (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Chelsea. Reece James replaces Timo Werner.
Goal!
Goal! Rennes 1, Chelsea 2. Olivier Giroud (Chelsea) header from the centre of the box to the top left corner.
Post update
Attempt saved. Timo Werner (Chelsea) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Hakim Ziyech.
Post update
Attempt saved. Ben Chilwell (Chelsea) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top left corner. Assisted by Hakim Ziyech.
Booking
Clément Grenier (Rennes) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Clément Grenier (Rennes).
Post update
N'Golo Kanté (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Substitution
Substitution, Rennes. Yann Gboho replaces Jéremy Doku.
Substitution
Substitution, Rennes. Faitout Maouassa replaces Adrien Truffert.
Substitution
Substitution, Rennes. M'Baye Niang replaces Serhou Guirassy.
Goal!
Goal! Rennes 1, Chelsea 1. Serhou Guirassy (Rennes) header from the centre of the box to the high centre of the goal. Assisted by Benjamin Bourigeaud with a cross following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Rennes. Conceded by Thiago Silva.
Substitution
Substitution, Rennes. Clément Grenier replaces Eduardo Camavinga.
Post update
Foul by Benjamin Bourigeaud (Rennes).
Post update
Thiago Silva (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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Comments
Join the conversation
I never understood why Arsenal let him go.
He may not light up the league, but his consistency and work-rate are second-to-none.
Group stage done n dusted.
Giroud with one of his critical goals :-)
The first goal was home grown and made at Chelsea !!!
🤣🤣🤣
Dominant for the 1st 20 odd minutes where we could and should have been at least 2 nil up then sat back and but for a brilliant finish from Giroud we would have dropped 2 points
We got away with it tonight but will need to play a lot better than that on Sunday
Rennes and FK Krasnodar have never qualified for the CL before, let alone gotten through to the knockouts.