Will Still’s Reims secured a 2-1 victory over Lille on Tuesday, shocking their hosts to score twice inside the opening 20 minutes of the Ligue 1 match.
Despite the early goals in this encounter, it was a slow start to the game, with the referee being replaced in the middle by fourth official which prompted a brief pause just two minutes into the match.
Things eventually resumed, with Mohamed Daramy finding the back of the net not long after, raising his boot to meet a header from Marshall Munetsi to put the away side 1-0 up after just 12 minutes.
Their second came four minutes later, with Munetsi again being the creator, driving into the right hand side of the penalty area before crossing to new signing Keito Nakamura who scored his first goal for the club.
Paulo Fonseca’s side were left stunned by the two goals but after several second half chances they pulled one back in the 80th minute, with Benjamin Andre firing Ismaily’s cross into the back of the net with a stunning header.
However, it was too little too late for the home side who suffered their second Ligue 1 defeat of the season with the team dropping to 11th in the table.
Reims, meanwhile moved to fifth, just three points behind early pacesetters Brest.
They return to action against Lyon on Sunday who are winless so far this season.
Talking point
Reims’ fast start proved fatal for Lille, catching the home side off guard. It ended a two-game winning drought for Still’s side, who have climbed to fifth in the early league table.
All things considered, it’s been a pretty good start to the season for Reims, with Still’s side having won three matches this season, drawing one and losing two. The English-Belgian coach is proving a hit in his current role, and the club’s expenditures seem to be paying off. They’ll fancy their chances against a struggling Lyon side on Sunday.
Player of the match – Marshall Munetsi
Defensive midfielder Munetsi proved pivotal in helping Reims get off to a fast start during the match. He used his physical presence to find space inside the penalty area, to head down a corner to his team-mate Daramy for the side’s first. But his vision to feed Nakamura through for the second goal made his second assist perhaps more impressive.
The 27-year-old has starred for his side so far this season, too, scoring once during their 2-0 win against Claremont and providing an assist during their 2-1 defeat by Marseille.
Player ratings
Lille: Chevalier 5, Ismaily 6, Umtiti 6, Gomes 5, Santos 5, Andre 6, Haraldsson 5, Cabella 5, Yazici 5, David 5.. subs: Alexsandro 5, Zhegrova 5, Cavaleiro 5.
Reims: Diouf 6, De Smet 7, Abdelhamid 6, Okumu 7, Foket 6, Matusiwa 6, Munetsi 8, Nakamura 7, Daramy 7, Ito 6.. subs: Diakite 6, Agbadou 6, Salama 6, Khadra 7, Atanganga 6.
Match highlights
2′ The referee seems to have a problem and has switched out for the fourth official.
12′ – Goal! Reims open the scoring. It looked like a high boot from Daramy who lofted the ball into the goal in a congested penalty area, but the goal will stand following a VAR review despite the complaints from the Lille players.
16′ – Goal! Reims are back again with a second in the space of four minutes, with Munetsi again providing the inspiration, firing a cross into Nakamura who makes no mistake placing his shot coolly around Diouf to put the away side 2-0.
79′ Perhaps too little to late for Lille? Either way, it was a sensational header from Andre, who leapt to fire Ismaily’s pin-point cross into the back of the net.
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