Arsenal loanee Balogun breaks Ikpeba's 25-year-old Nigerian record after goal v Marseille

Stade de Reims' nineteen-match unbeaten run in the French Ligue 1 finally came to an end on Sunday night after a 2-1 loss to Marseille at the Stade Auguste Delaune.

Prior to the visit of Marseille, Stade de Reims last tasted defeat against Monaco six months ago, winning nine games and drawing ten. 

Balogun slotted past Marseille goalkeeper Pau Lopez to put Stade de Reims 1-0 up after twelve minutes, taking his tally in the division to seventeen goals in the process. 

And in doing so, the Arsenal loanee, who has multiple eligibility, etched his name into the Ligue 1 history books as the player of Nigerian descent with the most goals in a single season. 

The previous record of sixteen goals was held by former African Footballer of the Year and Monaco legend Victor Ikpeba, who achieved the feat on the final day of the 1997-1998 season. 

Having broken Ikpeba's Nigerian record that stood for twenty five years, another record is within reach as he's now one goal away from equaling Glenn Hoddle's tally of 18 goals in 1988-1989, which made him the top scoring Englishman in a single campaign. 

A first half brace from Arsenal old boy Alexis Sanchez saw Marseille end Reims' unbeaten run.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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