Sambou Soumano's wild season with FC Lorient

Sambou Soumano delivered the best season of his young career in the colors of FC Lorient. The Senegalese striker exploded onto the scene this year and played a major role in the Merlus' promotion to Ligue 1. As the fifth top scorer in France's second division, he racked up a string of high-level performances.

A sensational return to Lorient

After several loan spells in France and Belgium, Sambou Soumano returned to Lorient in the summer of 2024, determined to make his mark. In the early rounds of Ligue 2, often coming off the bench, the Dakar native made the most of every opportunity to earn the trust of Olivier Pantaloni. He opened his account on September 13, 2024, against Red Star (2-1) and followed up with two assists against AC Ajaccio and Caen. That was the spark: the machine was up and running, and there was no stopping it.

On October 19, 2024, Sambou Soumano netted his second goal of the season against Annecy (4-2), then grabbed his third for Lorient against Rodez (3-3). On October 29, he produced a stunning brace on matchday 11 of Ligue 2 against Dunkerque (4-2).

Decisive performances all season long

Soumano kept shining throughout the campaign. He bagged a crucial double against Amiens SC (3-1) on February 8, 2025, during matchday 22 of Ligue 2. He also struck twice against Caen (4-0) on April 26, and again today, May 10, 2025, against Martigues (5-1) in the 34th and final round of the French second division.

For the first time in his career, Sambou Soumano finished the league season with 14 goals, two more than last year with Quevilly Rouen Métropole. Yet, he started only 11 of the 32 matches he played during this 2024/2025 campaign. As the team's second-leading scorer, thanks to his dazzling performances and those of the entire squad, FC Lorient are the 2024/2025 Ligue 2 champions and have secured promotion to Ligue 1 for the 2025/26 season.

Lydiane N'Po |

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Sports journalist specializing in African football, covering football news, exclusive stories and digital content for passionate fans of the game.