- Joseph Okumu received two yellow cards in quick succession during Reims' game against Nantes on February 2nd.
- The Harambee Stars deputy team captain commenced the match after missing last week's draw with Paris Saint-Germain due to an injury.
- Reims were defeated 2-1, prolonging their winless streak in Ligue 1 to nine matches and leaving them four points above the relegation zone.
Reims player Joseph Okumu was sent off in the final minutes of the match against Nantes on Sunday evening.
Okumu recovered in time to be ready for the game at Stade Auguste-Delaune in Reims, as Metz aimed to end their streak of failures in the French top league.
Nantes held a corner advantage, securing 5 corners compared to Reims' two corners.
The injury forced him to miss the one-all draw with league leaders and champions Paris Saint-Germain last week. Coach Luka Elsner put him in the starting lineup, where he partnered with Cedric Kipre.
Reims began the game with an advantageous position, as Junya Ito's shot was narrowly thwarted by Anthony Lopes in the Nantes goal.
They survived after Moses Simon was felled by John Patrick, who was surprisingly given a red card. However, after a review, VAR officials overturned the decision, coming close to an Ardennes home eviction for the hosts, Reims.
Nantes took the lead after Matthis Abline scored following an intense sprint down the right wing in the 42nd minute.
Visitors thought they would go up 1-0 at the break, but Cameroonian international Jean-Charles Castelletto scored off a corner kick to equalize the score.
Nantes scored their second goal in the 70th minute with Abline causing chaos once again. He played a pass to Mohamed Mostafa who made no mistake, firing the ball past Yehvan Diouf who remained immobile and out of position.
What was the reason for Joseph Okumu's red card?
The situation worsened for Reims, who were left with 10 players due to stoppage time. Okumu received his second yellow card, which resulted in his dismissal, after being penalized by referee Benoît Millot for a foul on Albine. It seemed that Okumu may also have provoked the referee with his words, leading to the official issuing him a second yellow card and sending him off.
How many games will Joseph Okumu miss?
The card suffered no further damage in that match, but Reims will be without Okumu for a single game. He will miss their Coupe De France match against Bourgoin Jallieu on Thursday.
Nantes scored a historic triumph over Reims, ending a 47-year wait for a win against the latter in a match played away from their home ground. With this decisive victory, they secured 21 points, positioning themselves in second place, only one point behind their opponents.
In fact, Reims remained without a victory in their last nine league matches, with their last win dating back to November 11. Following the cup contest, they will face seventh-placed Lyon in their next fixture.
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