Harambee Stars defender returns to matchday squad in Poland after lengthy injury

Harambee Stars defender Erick ‘Marcelo’ Ouma made a big step in his recovery journey after making it into Raków Częstochowa’s matchday squad against Korona Kielce on Friday, 8 May.

Download our Mozzart Sport app for more news

Ouma, 29, was named among the substitutes as Raków won 2-0 in the Polish Ekstraklasa, making it his first time he made the team since rupturing his Achilles ligament in August last year.

The left-back, who underwent surgery on 5 September, did not get a minute under his belt, but his presence offered optimism that he was nearing full recovery.

Rakow, needing a win to keep their championship hopes alive, delivered perfectly, scoring twice in nine second half minutes to go five points behind leaders Lech Poznan - who are home to fellow Kenyan player Timothy ‘Babu’ Ouma - and with a game in hand.

After a barren draw in the first half, the hosts opened the scoring just three minutes after the break through Lamine Diaby-Fadiga, before Croatian midfielder Marko Bulat added a second in the 57th minute to wrap up his team’s third-straight league victory.

While there was excitement for Eric, Timothy was on the opposite side of things, as his Poznan side dropped crucial points to basement side Arka Gdynia, blowing the chase for the league title wide open.

Having built a nine-point lead at the top going into the weekend matches, Poznan were left reeling after being held to a 1-1 draw by the second-last team on the log, to leave them only seven points clear, with second-placed Gornik Zabrze and Raków having two and one game in hand over them respectively.

Timothy, after featuring for a full game last weekend, was named as a substitute this time, but ended up playing 46 minutes after being introduced at halftime.

In Sweden, Kenyan youngster Andreas Odhiambo made a brief cameo as his Enköpings SK side beat AFC Eskiltuna 2-1 in the third-tier league.

Odhiambo, 18, was brought on with just a minute of added time remaining, to notch his second appearance for the club.

At the same time, fellow Kenyan midfielder Paul Osama was included in Enköpings’s matchday squad for the first time since switching from Kenyan club Murang’a Seal in late March. The teenager would however remain on the bench.

Murang'a Seal teenager joins Swedish club after interest from a host of European sides

In Denmark, Harambee Stars defender Daniel Anyembe was on the field for 90 minutes as Viborg FF lost 1-0 to Sønderjyske in the Danish Superliga Championship Group.

The 27-year-old was making his third straight full-game appearance for the hosts, who remained fourth on the six-team log with 44 points.

Elsewhere in Romania, Kenyan midfielder Richard Odada also clocked 90 minutes as UTA Arad returned to winning ways with a 1-0 win over FK Csíkszereda Miercurea Ciuc in the Superliga Relegation Group.

Odada’s appearance as his sixth-straight with the team, who remain in the top-two places to remain in the top tier league with 36 points.

FIFA WWCQ: Junior Starlets coach demanding fierce mindset ahead of Uganda test