Joseph Okumu gets full minutes in seven goal thriller in Belgium

Harambee Stars international defender Joseph Okumu was unlucky to end on the losing side of a seven goal thriller as his KAA Gent side went down against Cercle Brugge KSV in a Belgian top flight league match played on Sunday evening.

Despite showing an incredible character throughout the encounter, Okumu’s side failed to steal any point in the game as Brugge’s last minute penalty kick ensured the away side recorded a 3-4 victory following the epic display between the two sides.

The first half of the clash started with the game betraying how it was to end as only one goal scored by Brugge’s Togolese international Ahoueke Denkey separated the sides by the half time interval with the midfielder getting the goal in the 24th minute.

In the second half, just four minutes after resumption, Gent forward Hugo Cuypers restored parity after an assist from Matisse Samoise.

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However, the equalizer would only last ten minutes as Denkey turned from goal scorer to provider as he set up Dino Hotic for his first goal of the game which restored Brigge’s lead.

Nine minutes after, Cuypers once again drew his side back level in the encounter as he sealed his brace in the 68th minute.

On the 76th minute, Hotic got his brace as Gent once again took the lead. A minute later though, Laurent Depoitre, who had set up the second goal for Gent, thought he had finally stole a point for his side as he provided an immediate response to level the game at 3-3.

The two teams appeared to be finally going to share the spoils but a late penalty awarded to Brugge in the 89th minute spoilt the complexion of the game as Hotic converted the spot kick to seal his hat trick and the three points for Brugge.