Mohamed Toure had a day to remember in France after the former Adelaide United youngster debuted for Stade de Reims in Ligue 1.
Toure, and Yaya Dukuly, swapped the Isuzu UTE A-League for Reims last year as the Reds received a transfer fee and have been playing for the club’s reserve team.
But on Saturday (Sunday AEST), Toure – the youngest goalscorer in the history of A-League Men – was handed his first-team bow by Will Still in a showdown with high-flying Lille, on the back of eight goals in 14 games for Reims II.
The 19-year-old forward came off the bench in the 84th minute as ninth-placed Reims upstaged fifth-placed Lille at Stade Auguste-Delaune II, where the hosts snapped a four-game winless streak.
Toure – who up until this season held the record for most goals in the Isuzu UTE A-League by the age of 18 before Adelaide sensation Nestory Irankunda made history with his eighth strike – is the second Australian to play in the French top-flight this term, after Toulouse’s Denis Genreau.
He also joins an exclusive club of Australians to feature in Ligue 1, following in the footsteps of Mile Sterjovski, Robbie Slater, Ned Zelic, Frank Farina, Eddie Krncevic, Zlatko Arambasic, Nick Carle and Ross Aloisi.
Reims, meanwhile, are the parent club of Valon Berisha – who is on loan at Isuzu UTE A-League premiers Melbourne City as they prepare for a Semi Final showdown against Sydney FC.
Image source: Stade de Reims
