Substitute Kamil Grosicki's second-half free kick rescued a point for Rennes against 10-man Lorient, with Lamine Kone's red card leading to the visitors' successful set piece.
Lorient started the game in control and their bright start resulted in a goal when Raphael Guerreiro broke the deadlock with a left-footed shot from close range.
Rennes regained possession towards the end of the first half but it was the home side who looked more likely to score and double their lead, as Yann Jouffre came close from inside the area, only for his shot to be saved by Abdoulaye Diallo.
However, the visitors were handed a lifeline with 20 minute left of normal time when Kone picked up two yellow cards in quick succession to give Rennes an extra-man advantage.
From the resulting free kick, second-half substitute Grosicki curled a right-footed effort from a tight angle on the left towards the near post, which Lorient goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte managed to push onto the woodwork and out of danger, only to realise that the French official Benoit Bastien had given the goal after using goal-line technology.
Despite equalising and pushing for the winner with a man advantage, Rennes themselves went down to 10 men when Giovanni Sio got a second yellow with six minutes of normal time remaining.
Juan Quintero had the chance to win the game for Rennes in the dying seconds when he was able to break through and have a one-on-one with Lecomte, but the Colombian forward put his shot wide of the far post.
The result sees Rennes stay one place above Lorient in seventh, with one point separating the two sides.
Sam McEvoy
