Kortrijk and Reims met in a Club Friendlies fixture on Friday, with the French side taking all three points with a 2-1 victory. The match ended with Reims showing composure after Kortrijk had opened the scoring.
And here's the thing about the opening exchanges — Kortrijk struck first at the 33rd minute to take the lead. But Reims responded quickly, and L. Sylla equalised just three minutes later. To be fair, that rapid turnaround shifted the momentum, and Sylla's contribution didn't last long, as he was substituted at the 46th minute.
By then the game had settled into something more measured. Soumano put Reims ahead at the 51st minute, and a yellow card followed shortly after. That goal gave the visitors control, and Soumano was also taken off at the 71st minute, leaving Kortrijk searching for an equaliser that never came.
The statistics tell their own story. Kortrijk dominated possession at 59 per cent and registered 85 attacks compared to Reims' 69, but efficiency matters more than volume. Reims converted their chances when it counted, while Kortrijk's attacks went begging for a response.
Those two goals proved decisive, and the result reflects a team that kept their side in it early on before pulling away. Kortrijk may have controlled territory, but Reims controlled the outcome.