Kenyan international defender Joseph Okumu made a return from injury Saturday as he featured for his side KAA Gent, as they lost 2-1 to Croatian club NK Lokomotiva in their second pre-season fixture played at the Sportpark FC Axel on Saturday afternoon.The game was Okumu’s first for the club this offseason, with his absence felt at the end of last season after he suffered an injury that not only kept him out of the remaining games for his side, but saw him among the names that were dropped from Harambee Stars’ final squad that played Pakistan and Mauritius in July’s Four Nations Tournament.𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲 🏠Glad to see you again, @okumu_stanley ! 🇰🇪 pic.twitter.com/e3sS1kYrEG— KAA Gent (@KAAGent) July 3, 2023 Okumu’s return was documented on the club’s twitter on 3 July, with Saturday’s appearance easing rumors surrounding his exit from the club.Over the weeks, Okumu’s name has been subject to links out of the club, with the latest rumor linking him to French club Stade Reims.##NAJAVA_MECA_7361449##The Kenyan was however a full participant on Saturday – in a game that saw Tsuyoshi Watanabe give Gent an early lead in the 19th minute, before Silvio Gorican leveled matters going into halftime.Ivan Canjuga then scored inside the third minute of second half added time to seal the win for the Croats, with Gent – who beat Merelbeke 9-1 in a 30 June friendly – succumbed to their first defeat in the offseason.Eric Ouma.Kenyan international Eric Ouma played the entire ninety minutes of his side’s 2-1 loss to FC Hacken in the Swedish top-tier league – Allsvenskan – on Saturday afternoon.The defeat, the team’s eighth, was the first loss under new head coach Henning Berg, and saw the team drop into the relegation places – 14th on 10 points from 14 games.Erick ‘Marcelo’ Ouma’s AIK appoint former Manchester United defender as head coachCollins Sichenje.In Finland, Kenyan Collins Sichenje was an unused substitute for his side – KUPS stumbled to a home 0-1 loss to VPS on Saturday.KuPS remain on top of the league with 31 points from 16 matches played.
