Folarin Balogun may have drawn a blank against AJ Auxerre, but Stade de Reims’ Arsenal-owned forward remains ahead of Kylian Mbappé in Ligue 1 Uber Eats’ top scorer race.
Balogun scored a hat-trick in last Wednesday’s 4-2 win over FC Lorient: one from the penalty spot, one with his right foot and one with his left, to move onto 14 goals for the season.
His first was a penalty converted straight down the middle, with Lorient ‘keeper Vito Mannone – another former Gunner – guessing wrong.
Balogun bagged his second of the evening, reacting first to a loose ball to put Will Still’s men in front.
He only had to wait three-more minutes to claim the match ball and it was the pick of the bunch: a superb volley on his weaker left foot.
Second-best Mbappé missed PSG’s 2-1 win over Toulouse FC at the Parc des Princes with injury, with Lionel Messi and Achraf Hakimi getting the champions’ goals.
Messi’s finish was a fine one – teed up by Hakimi – and the Argentine breaks into the top 10 on 10 goals with another 10 assists for good measure.