Orban ready to go again after pre-season goal

The Lyon strikerGift Orban, will be hoping to start making statements in France in the 2024/25 season after scoring for the French side in their 7-0 win over Chassieu Décines in their first pre-season game on Saturday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Orban scored the second goal of the game from the penalty spot, expertly finding the top corner with his shot and leaving the goalkeeper no chance after Johan Lepenant had opened the scoring.

Further goals from Lepenant, Perret, Baldé and Molebe (double) allowed Lyon to end the evening in style.

Buoyed by his performance in the emphatic win, Orban is hoping it will be the start of a great campaign for him, as he shared footage from the matches with the caption: “We’re back. Ready to go again.”

Lyon’s next pre-season game will be against Austrian first division side WSG Tirol on Friday.

The former KAA Gent star has endured a difficult first six months at Lyon after joining the club for €12 million in January.

Orban has scored just three goals in 16 appearances and has struggled to rediscover the form that made him Belgium’s all-time star.

Fortunately, Lyon overcame a terrible start to the season to finish sixth in Ligue 1 and qualify for the Europa League.

Orban, meanwhile, was a revelation for Gent in the first half of last season in Europe, scoring five goals in five Europa Conference League games.

The 21-year-old also holds the record for the fastest hat-trick in UEFA club competition, beating the previous record of six minutes and 12 seconds held by Mohammed Salah in the Champions League.

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