Flying Eagles Invitee Umar Records First Career Assist in Reims Win Ibrahim Hafiz Umar celebrated a major milestone in his young career on Saturday night, providing his first-ever professional assist during Stade Reims’ 3–1 Ligue 1 victory over Olympique Marseille at Stade Auguste-Delaune. The 2025 Flying Eagles invitee, who was recently called up to Nigeria’s U20 camp in Katsina ahead of the Africa U20 Cup of Nations, came off the bench to contribute significantly to his team’s success. Though yet to be officially released by his club for national duty, Umar is making a strong case for inclusion with his growing influence at the senior level. After Marseille had dominated the early phases of the match, Reims took the lead through Keito Nakamura’s solo strike, before Mamadou Diakhon added a second shortly after the restart. In the 68th minute, Umar’s smart play set up Valentin Atangana to finish off a swift counter-attack, stretching the lead to 3–0. The assist was Umar’s first in professional football and capped a confident performance. The 18 year old has now featured in four of Reims’ last five Ligue 1 matches, logging 141 minutes, and has not played for the B team since mid February a sign that he’s now considered a full member of the first-team squad. Editorial There’s something quietly remarkable about watching a young player seize his moment and that’s exactly what Ibrahim Hafiz Umar is doing in France. With every minute on the pitch, he’s proving he belongs. His assist against Marseille wasn’t just a pass; it was a statement. This is what development should look like gradual integration, confidence in ability, and most importantly, contribution. Reims see something in Umar. They’ve trusted him in top-flight matches, and he’s begun to repay that faith with tangible output. For the Flying Eagles, this is excellent news.