Kenya Football Watch: Joseph Okumu Scores for KAA Gent in Belgium in the UEFA Conference League Play Offs

• Joseph 'Crouch' Okumu scored for KAA Gent over the weekend in a play-off match against KV Mechelen
• Bernard Ochieng and Eric Kapaito feature in their team's defeat in Ethiopia while Antony Wambani and Eugen Asike played a part in their team's draw
• Ouma picks up a routine win and clean sheet in Sweden as his AIK side stretch their winning run to four games

Joseph Okumu scored to help his KAA Gent side beat KV Mechelen 1-0 in the race to qualify for next season’s UEFA Conference League. The tall Kenyan international rose highest to turn in Sven Ludo's corner in the 82nd minute.

The win leaves Gent in a prime position to secure a spot in the Conference League play-off spots. They are in the first position, four points ahead of Genk. They face KV Mechelen in the return leg on Tuesday before playing Genk five days later. They will wrap up their campaign against Charleroi.

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Football

In Zambia, Harambee Stars custodian Ian Otieno was named the most consistent player of ZESCO United at the end of the season awards. Otieno finished the season having conceded the least number of goals. The former AFC Leopards shot-stopper let in just 22 goals.

ZESCO were, however, unable to win the title as they lost out to Red Arrows. Red Arrows finished the season with 70 points, seven better than ZESCO’s tally of 63.

In Ethiopia, Kenyan duo of Eric Kapaito and Bernard Ochieng played as their Arba Menche side went 2-1 down to Jimma Aba Jifar. Eyob Alemayehu and Dawit Fikadu scored for the winners as Ashenafi Elias grabbed a consolation goal for Arba Menche.

With the loss, Arba Menche remains in 12th position after losing three consecutive games.

Clean sheet for Ouma again

Eric ‘Marcelo’ Ouma picked what has now become a routine clean sheet in the Allsvenskan, the top-flight of Swedish football. The Kenyan utility player was however booked in the 35th minute in their clash against Gotenborg.

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Football

Ouma’s side, AIK, won 1-0 courtesy of an Alexander Milosevic strike in the second half. The was AIK’s fourth consecutive win to take them to 15 points.

Still in the Scandinavian nation, Antony Wambani played in Vasalunds two-all draw against Eugene Asike’s Karlstad. Wambani started the game and lasted 81 minutes while former Tusker captain Eugene Asike came off the bench in the 46th minute.

Omanyala lights up the Kip Keino classic

Earlier, Sports Brief recounted how Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala bagged gold at the Kip Keino Classic over the weekend.

Omanyala, outsprinted a field that consisted of Olympic silver medalist Fred Kerley to take first place before an ecstatic crowd at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.

The 26-year-old was supposed to compete against reigning Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs but the Italian withdrew due to stomach issues.