Defender Joseph Okumu played the full 90 minutes as his Belgian club Gent suffered a 0-1 defeat to Qarabag FK in a UEFA Europa Conference League game on Thursday night.
The match, which was played at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan, saw the Kenyan center-back make a series of crucial interventions to keep his side in the game.
Despite Okumu’s best efforts, Gent ultimately fell to a 35th-minute goal from Qarabag’s Abdellah Zoubir, who slotted home a penalty to give the Azerbaijani side the lead. The visitors pushed hard for an equalizer in the second half, but were unable to find the back of the net.
Despite the defeat, Okumu’s performance will have impressed his coaches and fans alike. The 24-year-old has been a regular starter for Gent since joining the club in August 2021 and has quickly established himself as one of their key players.
