Reims midfielder Teddy Teuma (left) celebrates scoring against Montpellier. Photo: Sylvain Thomas / AFP
Two goals in three games in France’s top-flight
Montpellier could have gone level with Monaco and Marseille at the Top of Ligue 1 on seven points, but they suffered a 3-1 home defeat to Reims as Malta international Teddy Teuma assisted one and scored two more in just his third match since moving to the Ligue 1 club.
Since his five million euro move over the summer from Belgian side Union St Gilloise, Teuma has wasted no time in finding his feet at Reims and proved his worth on Sunday with an impressive performance and two wonder goals against a Montpellier side that has now drawn their first, won their second, and lost their third match of the season.
It was like a chess game for the Malta midfielder on Sunday as on eight minutes a pin-point corner kick went straight towards Yunis Abdelhamid who simply met the ball with a header to open proceedings.
Teddy Teuma scores his first Reims goal from a freekick against Montpellier.
Teuma’s accuracy put his name on the scoresheet four minutes from the break when he scored directly from a freekick to put his side two goals ahead.
Mousa Al-Taamari gave Montpellier a bit of reprieve with a goal in stoppage time, but just before the hour mark, Teuma had another moment of brilliance.
A ball into the area was miskicked by the defence sending the ball into the air. From the ensuing header to clear way the ball, an unmarked Teuma gave no chance to the loose ball to escape as he swung his foot straight into it, sending a venomous strike into the net.
Teddy Teuma scores a wonderous shot for Reims’ third goal against Montpellier.
He could have tried for a hattrick on 64 minutes but handed the ball to Oumar Diakite as Reims were given a penalty. Diakite missed the shot from the spot but Reims held on to secure the three points.
Reims moved into third place with this victory and face Metz away from home next Sunday.
Team of the Week
As a result of these two splendid goals, Teuma earned a place in the Ligue 1’s Team of the Week powered by livescore application Sofascore.
The Malta international, who scored an impressive rating of 9.4 according to Sofascore, joins the likes of Olympique Marseille’s goalkeeper Pau Lopez, Takumi Minamino of Monaco and Paris Saint-Germain’s star Kylian Mbappe.
Teuma produced 78% accurate passes during his 73-minute spell on the field, with four key passes while also helping defensively winning five duels from the eight he was involved in.
