Kenyan international Joseph Okumu featured the entire game as his new team KAA Gent started their Jupiler Pro League campaign on the wrong foot by falling 2-1 away to Sint-Truidense VV last night.Okumu had not featured at all for the club since signing for the Belgian outfit on 20th June from IF Elfsborg in a multi-million deal.Gent were off to a flying start in the match, scoring just two minutes into the game after Andreas Hanche-Olsen netted from Michael Ngadeu’s ball to take the early lead.First start for our Kenyan newcomer @okumu_stanley! 🇰🇪💪 pic.twitter.com/a54WSMHgQW— KAA Gent (@KAAGent) July 25, 2021 They however could not protect their lead for long as the hosts equalized ten minutes after courtesy of 34-year old Ilombe Mboyo. Christian Bruls scored the winner for the visitors via a delightful volley on 67 minutes. Before this game, the former IF Elfsborg defender had not made any appearance in the five games that the club had played; four club-friendly matches his new side was using to prepare for the new campaign and a qualifying round UEFA Europa Conference League match against Norway’s Valerenga.The defender was included for the first time in the team’s matchday squad for their Conference League qualifying match but he was not involved in the action as he was an unused substitute in the emphatic 4-0 first-leg win over the Norweigian opponent.Full focus 👀🇰🇪#stvvgnt #kaagent pic.twitter.com/AcDGimGxt6— KAA Gent (@KAAGent) July 25, 2021 Okumu now joins Robert Mambo, John Muiruri, Mike Okoth, Johanna ‘Tosh’ Omollo as some of the Kenyans who have played in Belgium.Okumu was brought in to beef up a Gent squad that finished seventh on the league standings last season and together with his teammates will be hoping that they can rectify opening day’s result when they host K. Beerschot V.A. next weekendBefore then, they will have to get the Europa Conference League qualifying job done when they travel to Norway for the second leg clash on Thursday.
