Arsenal loanee Balogun becomes first Reims player to score in first two Ligue 1 games since 1978

Arsenal loanee Folarin Balogun continued his fine start to life at Stade de Reims by scoring on his home debut in a 4-2 loss to Clermont Foot in a Ligue 1 match at Stade Auguste-Delaune II on Sunday afternoon.

The Hale End Academy graduate also found the net on his debut for Reims, twenty minutes after coming off the bench against Marseille at the Orange Vélodrome last weekend.

Seven minutes into his starting debut, Balogun was cautioned for a foul on Mateusz Wieteska.

Midway through the first half, referee Johan Hamel pointed to the spot after Balogun was fouled in the box by Florent Ogier and from the resultant penalty Kamory Doumbia gave Reims the lead.

In the 30th minute, Clermont Foot goalkeeper could not prevent the England U21 international of Nigerian descent from doubling the advantage from the spot.

And in doing so, Balogun became the first player to score in his first two games with Reims in Ligue 1 since Jacky Pérignon in July 1978.

Balogun came close to making it three but saw his effort saved by Mory Diaw in the 33rd minute.

The visitors fought back in the second half and took home three points courtesy of goals from Komnen Andric (2), Muhammed Cham and Jérémie Bela.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

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