Super-sub Dango Ouattara has become the second-youngest Lorient player to score a goal in the French elite division at 20 years and 68 days.
The Burkina Faso international was the Merlucciidaes’ hero on Wednesday night, with his effort handing his team a 1-0 triumph over Metz.
With the tight encounter heading for a goalless draw at the Stade du Moustoir, Ouattara - who replaced Armand Lauriente in the 85th minute knocked in a simple tap-in on the back of a counter-attack and a defensive mishap.
Thanks to that, the 20-year-old wrote his name in the club’s history books.
Former France youth international Valentin Lavigne holds the record of being the youngest Lorient goalscorer in Ligue 1 aged 20 years and 67 days against AS Monaco in August 2014.
Interestingly, Ouattara has now been involved in two goals in his last three Ligue 1 matches (1 goal, 1 assist), all of which he has played as a substitute for a total of 21 minutes.
“I focused well before entering the field and staying in the game until the end,” he told the media as per Ouest France.
“The job had already been done well by my teammates before I came back, and it made it easier for me. It's a pleasure.
“We absolutely had to win this game. Yes, they dominated, but we had to take the three points and that's the main thing.
“At half-time, it was tense, but we didn't have to disperse, we had to play for the team and I was able to conclude.
“We are happy to have won but there are still five days left and we will stay focused until the end of the season.”
Following this result, Lorient climbed to 15th in the log having accrued 34 points from 33 outings. Whereas, Metz languish at the base with just 24 points.
Frederic Antonetti’s Maroons boast 15 Africans in their squad namely: Dylan Bronn (Tunisia), Ibrahima Niane (Senegal), Boubacar Traore (Mali), Farid Boulaya (Algeria), Opa Nguette (Senegal), Fali Cande (Guinea Bissau), Pape Sarr (Senegal), Alexandre Oukidja (Algeria), and Habib Maiga (Cote d'Ivoire).
Others are Didier Ze (Cameroon), Boubakar Kouyate (Mali), Pape Yade (Senegal), Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik (Cameroon), Louis Mafouta (Central African Republic), as well as Ousmane Ba (Senegal).
