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Harambee Stars midfielder Timothy Ouma scored for Elfsborg on his Europa League debut although the Swedish outfit fell short, losing 3-2 to Dutch side Az Alkmar.
Harambee Stars midfielder Timothy Ouma found the back of the net on his UEFA Europa League debut for Elfsborg but could not help them avoid defeat at the hands of Dutch outfit Az Alkmar
Despite missing Kenya's last two matches against Namibia and Zimbabwe, Ouma's club form has been exceptional. In the clash against AZ Alkmaar, he was instrumental in Elfsborg's attacking play. Ouma not only found the back of the net but also assisted Elfsborg’s second goal, underlining his creativity and playmaking abilities. The 21-year-old won both of his aerial duels and six out of 11 ground duels, displaying his tenacity throughout the match.
AZ Alkmaar started strong, putting early pressure on Elfsborg’s goalkeeper, Isak Pettersson, who was forced to make a crucial save from Troy Parrott's shot. However, the Swedish side managed to take the lead despite early dominance from their Dutch opponents. Ouma broke the deadlock with a powerful strike from outside the box, his shot slipping through the hands of AZ keeper Rome-Jayden Owusu-Oduro.
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12:45 - 25.09.2024
'It feels like crap' - Harambee Stars prospect reacts to being abused & peltered with missiles on live TV in Germany
Maina and his fellow FC Koln teammates were abused and peltered with objects by furious Fortuna Dusseldolf fans during their 2-2 draw in a 2. Bundesliga clash that took place last Saturday.
AZ’s captain Jordy Clasie almost equalised with a fierce effort, but Pettersson’s fingertips managed to push the shot onto the crossbar. Despite the Elfsborg goalkeeper's heroics, his critical error just before halftime allowed Ruben van Bommel to equalise after dropping a routine cross into the box.
Van Bommel struck again early in the second half, capitalising on a poor clearance from Elfsborg’s defence to make it 2-1. However, Elfsborg quickly responded, thanks to Simon Hedlund's effort that slipped through the hands of Owusu-Oduro to bring the match level at 2-2.
AZ regained the lead in the 73rd minute after Jayden Addai won a penalty, calmly converted by Parrott. Elfsborg's hopes of another comeback were dashed when Sebastian Holmen was sent off late in the game for a challenge on Parrott, leaving the Swedish side with ten men.
Van Bommel came close to completing his hat trick but was denied twice, with his final chance cleared off the line in the dying moments of the game. AZ held on for their first win in the Europa League, leaving Elfsborg with a challenging task as they next face Athletic Bilbao in Spain.
As Ouma continues to rise, he’ll look to build on this performance, with Elfsborg hoping to bounce back in their upcoming European fixtures, which include clashes against Tottehnam Hotspur, Roma and Galatasaray.
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