Timbe and Dunga post mixed fortunes in Japan

Two Kenyan internationals in Ayub Timbe and Ismail Dunga endured a mixed bag of performances as their clubs, Vissel Kobe and Sagan Tosu respectively, recorded contrasting results in round 15 of the Japanese top J1 league matches. Here is a wrap of how the action unfolded.

Ayub Timbe

Despite opening his goal account at Vissel Kobe after bagging a brace in a 3-0 win over Tokushima Vortis in the Japanese League Cup this past Wednesday, tricky Harambee Stars winger Timbe was dropped to the substitutes bench as Vissel Kobe named the starting eleven side that would take on Urawa Reds on Saturday morning.

Despite bringing Timbe on in the 56th minute in place of Daiju Sasaki after going 1-0 down early in the second half, the former Reading winger could not help his side get on the scoresheet in the match played at the Saitama Stadium.

Having taken the lead through Tatsuya Tanaka in the 47th minute, Urawa Reds added a second and winning goal of the game through Kasper Junker with five minutes to full time, Kobe losing 0-2 on the day.

Ismail Dunga

Unlike the losing Timbe, the Kenyan forward, introduced in the 81st minute of the game in place of Keita Yamashita, emerged victorious as his Sagan Tosu side staged a successful 2-1 comeback against Kashima Antlers to go upto third on the league standings.

Yuta Matsumura had given the visiting Antlers the opening goal of the game after just fourteen minutes but Yamashita, who would later make way for Dunga, momentarily restored parity in the game with a strike in the 50th minute before Yuta Higuchi completed the turnaround with a second goal that proved to be the winner with twelve minutes remaining on the clock.

Dunga completed the remaining minutes after being brought on as his side held onto the lead to see out the contest.