Already the author of 15 goals in 21 matches with Reims (14 in 20 L1 matches, 1 in the Cup), center-forward Folarin Balogun stands out as the great revelation of the season in France. On loan without a purchase option from Arsenal last summer, the English U23 international (21 years old, 13 caps, 7 goals) presents a very wide range, dissected by three consultants – Djibril Cissé (the L’Équipe channel), Jimmy Briand and Benjamin Nivet (Prime Video) – as well as by its captain, Yunis Abdelhamid.
Difficult to see light on the horizon for Angers. Host of Clermont this Sunday, the SCO suffered another defeat (1-2), the 11th in Ligue 1, and is now seven points behind the first non-relegation player.
Despite the return of Sofiane Boufal, author of the goal of hope on a free kick from Nabil Bentaleb (80th), the Angevins had a hard time being dangerous. In a match that was very closed at first, the Clermontois had the merit of seizing their first opportunity to hurt. Found in the box, Grejohn Kyei saw his shot deflected off the post by Paul Bernardoni but Elbasan Rashani pushed deep at close range (40′).
For its part, Angers had more bad luck when the recovery of Himad Abdelli found the crossbar just before the break (45 + 2). Faced with an opponent at the bottom of the bucket, Clermont settled the matter as soon as the locker room returned thanks to a header from Neto Borges on a cross from Kyei (47th). With this third victory in a row, the Auvergnats confirm their very good momentum and move up to 8th place in the standings.
A few days after his card on the lawn of Auxerre (5-0), Toulouse had more trouble at home against Brest (1-1). After their good draw against Lille in the middle of the week (0-0), the Brestois bravely played their luck (17 shots) with a first fuse lit from the start by Pierre Lees-Melou (1st).
The Toulouse response did not drag, but Marco Bizot first intervened before seeing the recovery of Rafael Ratao failed on the post (3rd). It was finally Steve Mounié who unlocked the game by deflecting a shot from Hugo Magnetti with a header after a badly cleared corner (18th). Eric Roy’s men held their advantage for a long time, helped by a few bad choices from TFC. But they logically cracked after the hour mark on a shot in full surface of Zakaria Aboukhlal (65th). If this draw confirms their slight recovery in form, it does not allow them to extricate themselves from the red zone.
Winners in the middle of the week, Reims and Nice did not manage to decide between themselves this afternoon (0-0). Kasper Schmeichel’s save on an attempt by Folarin Balogun in the first seconds (1st) announced a breathless match. It has not happened.
Still just as solid but less sharp in the opposing 30 meters, the Rémois had to wait until the 83rd minute to frame a new shot, again from Balogun and again stopped by the Nice goalkeeper. Before that, only a shot from Junya Ito after a good heel from Thomas Foket had thrilled the Champagne public (36th).
For their part, the Niçois did not offer much more offensively. There was indeed this shot from Gaëtan Laborde who fled the frame on the return from the locker room (48th) or this opportunity from Nicolas Pépé rejected by Yehvann Diouf (86th). But it was too little to crack the Reims rearguard.
