Rennes 2-3 Villarreal: Hosts denied dramatic late equaliser in bizarre circumstances
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Rennes are consigned to the knock-out round play-off draw after having their late leveller ruled out
The Rennes players celebrated, fans went wild and the last 16 of the Europa League beckoned until their dramatic 101st-minute equaliser against Villarreal was disallowed in the most bizarre circumstances.
With the French side needing a point and 3-2 down, Enzo le Fee stepped forward to curl a free-kick against the post.
However, Lorenz Assignon swept home 12 seconds later, in the 11th minute of stoppage time, to seemingly level the score at 3-3 and move Rennes back to the top of Group F above their Spanish opponents.
Cue general bewilderment for the majority of those inside Roazhon Park as the goal was then looked at by the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) and chalked off.
The reason was Le Fee's original effort had rebounded directly back to him off the woodwork without another player touching the ball.
It all relates to a law of the game that states that following the taking of a dead ball: 'If, after the ball is in play, the kicker touches the ball again before it has touched another player an indirect free-kick is awarded.'
As the Rennes players showed their despair, Villarreal celebrated as the final whistle went moments later.
Gerard Moreno, Ilias Akhomach and Dani Parejo all scored for Marcelino's La Liga outfit, with Assignon and Ludovic Blas replying for the hosts, who now go into the knockout round play-off draw.
Villarreal had also been forced to see out the final stages of the match with 10 men. On-loan AC Milan defender Matteo Gabbia was stretchered off with a head injury sustained in a clash with his own team-mate Raul Albiol after his side had already made all five substitutions.