RENNES, France (Interstat) — An own goal by defender Arthur Nicolas Theate decided the French Ligue 1 season opener Sunday as Lorient defeated Rennes 1-0 at Roazhon Park.

Theate, a Rennes defender, inadvertently redirected a Stefano Fiore cross into his own net in the 65th minute for the game’s only score. The result defied pre-match projections that heavily favored the home side.

Lorient secured the away victory despite being outmatched statistically before kickoff. The match grew chippy late, with four yellow cards issued in the final half-hour, including one to Theate in the 87th minute. The win gives Lorient a positive start to the league campaign, while Rennes continues to seek its first victory of the season across all competitions.