Reinildo Impresses as Sunderland Faces Rennes

This was supposed to be a gentle pre-season tune-up. It turned into something more useful for Sunderland: a proper examination, a few scares, and a handful of players loudly stating their case.

At the heart of it all was Reinildo, who treated the Rennes friendly like a cup tie for his place.

Roefs steady, defence tested

Robin Roefs (6/10) had a mixed afternoon without ever being overrun. He was beaten by a well-struck penalty he had no real chance with and, for long spells, only had routine efforts to collect. The one real blot came early: a wide-open Rennes chance that should at least have hit the target. With the ball at his feet, though, he was sharp, coolly spinning away from the press in the opening stages to set the tone for Sunderland’s buildup.

Trai Hume (7/10) reverted to something closer to an old-school right-back role. That slightly reduced Sunderland’s control in the first half, but it tightened them up defensively. He picked his moment to surge forward and it paid off, arriving from a set piece and calmly passing home from eight yards. Not spectacular, just effective.

Dan Ballard (6/10) lived right on the edge. He was a constant presence at attacking set plays, getting on the end of several deliveries and defending solidly for large parts of the game. Yet two big lapses cut through his afternoon. First, he drove out of defence, lost the ball, and could only watch as a Rennes lob drifted just wide. Later, he lunged in and conceded a soft penalty. Busy, influential, but untidy at key moments.

Alongside him, Luke O’Nien (7/10) had a calmer time of it defensively. He stayed switched on, especially when a dangerous cross flashed across goal that he did well to head over from close range. On the ball he was crisp, pinging some excellent passes out from the back and delivering one outstanding cross that Reinildo could only steer wide.

Reinildo makes his point

If Dayann Methalie is coming to take his shirt, Reinildo (8/10, Man of the Match) is not handing it over politely.

He shut down almost everything that came down his flank, timing recovery tackles perfectly whenever Rennes threatened to break in behind. He didn’t just defend. He surged forward at every opening, overlapping relentlessly. One such run created a chance for Chemsdine Talbi, whose shot was deflected wide. Then he ghosted onto O’Nien’s superb cross and only just missed the target. Later, he forced Brice Samba into a brilliant save from a Chris Rigg delivery.

He defended with bite, attacked with purpose, and on another day would have had a goal or two to go with it. If this was an audition before new competition arrives, he passed it emphatically.

Xhaka controls, midfield legs around him

Granit Xhaka (7/10) did exactly what has become expected of him. He kept Sunderland ticking, recycling possession, dictating tempo and threading in a couple of clever, defence-splitting passes that were inches away from sending a teammate clear. It was the kind of quiet authority that glues a side together.

Around him, Noah Sadiki (7/10) did the running. He covered huge swathes of the pitch, plugging gaps at the back, then bursting up the left whenever space appeared. It was the full Sadiki package: energy, discipline, and constant availability.

Chemsdine Talbi (6/10) offered a more direct threat down that same flank. He made some promising bursts and, when he got into good areas, his first thought was always to deliver into the box rather than cut inside or shoot himself. Not everything came off, but the intent was there.

Enzo Le Fee (7/10) floated through the game in all the right pockets. He kept presenting himself as an option, linking play and carrying the ball with a composure that repeatedly unsettled Rennes. A few of his runs through the lines opened the visitors up and hinted at more to come as sharpness returns.

Wide threat and Brobbey’s muscle

Nilson Angulo (6/10) had a frustratingly mixed outing. He produced some bright, incisive moments down the right and worked hard when Sunderland were out of possession. The problem came with his timing. He drifted offside too often, particularly after good diagonals picked him out in promising positions.

Brian Brobbey (7/10) led the line with menace. He bullied defenders, threw his weight around, and never stopped asking questions. His goal summed him up: he darted in behind, saw his first effort saved, then simply brushed off the defender and slid the rebound home. Persistence and power, wrapped into one move.

Bench impact

The substitutes didn’t just fill minutes; they changed the feel of the game.

Romaine Mundle (7/10) came on looking like a player with a point to prove and maybe a new contract on his mind. He was direct, aggressive with the ball at his feet, and constantly driving at his marker. His standout moment came from a dead ball, crashing a superb free-kick off the crossbar with the keeper beaten.

Chris Rigg (7/10) again looked far more advanced than his age and pre-season status might suggest. Physically he seems ready now, and he wasted no time making an impact. His delivery into the box for Reinildo was top class and deserved an assist.

Habib Diarra (6/10) slotted in neatly alongside Xhaka, effectively mirroring Sadiki’s role. He kept the structure intact, covered space, and gave Sunderland balance in midfield without needing to force the issue.

Wilson Isidor (6/10) played on the shoulder of the last defender, stretching Rennes and creating lanes for others with his constant runs off the ball. He didn’t get the big moment himself, but his movement helped open the pitch up.

Jocelin Ta Bi (6/10) provided flashes of flair down the right, gliding past opponents with close control that at times made the ball look glued to his boots. It was only a cameo, but an eye-catching one.

A place to fight for

Pre-season is often about fitness and patterns. This one carried a sharper edge. With Methalie’s arrival looming, Reinildo answered the question before it was asked: he will not give up his spot easily.

If this is the level of competition Sunderland are about to have for places, the real battles might only just be starting.