Folarin Balogun provides assist in Reims humbling of Moses Simon’s Nantes 

By Wale Mustapha

Eligible-Nigerian striker, Folarin Balogun ran the show for his French Ligue 1 side, Stade Reims on Sunday in their superb 3-0 win at Nantes stretching their unbeaten away record to 11 under Coach Will Still.

The encounter played at the Stade de la Beaujoire saw a resurgence Reims who looked much sharper and better from their previous game which was their first defeat.

Balogun who is on a season long loan from Arsenal went close to give the visitors the lead at half time but hit the effort against the upright.

Just as the game was heading to stalemate at half time, Balogun took the initiative with his superb run that resulted into Alexis Flips scoring two goals in the spate of two minutes for Reims.

Nantes who also featured another Nigerian in Moses Simon were second best in the second period and could have let in more immediately after the restart but goalkeeper Alban Lafont denied Balogun with a point blank save.

However, the relegation threatened host could not provide answer to Reims’ third goal which came on the stroke of the hour as Marshall Munetsi tapped in a rebound from another Balogun’s effort that cannon off the crossbar.

The victory, however helped the visitors moved to seventh, just six points away from the European spots, while Nantes remain 14th, with just four points separating them and 17th-placed Auxerre.