Action for Gonzalez as Maina's Hannover win in Germany

Kenyan international Ismael Gonzalez started for Real Murcia in the 2-2 draw against Alzira while his compatriot Linton Maina was a second-half substitute in Hannover 96’s 3-0 thumping of St.Pauli.

Ismael Gonzalez

The former Las Palmas midfielder was handed a start by Real Murcia after the club completed their winter break with a 2-2 draw against Alzira in the Spanish fourth tier.

Alzira had a bright start to the game as they were out to overwrite their three-game losing streak and needed just 12 minutes to open the scoring through Agustin Coscia.

Murcia were just behind for three minutes as Santiago Jara equalized for them in the 15th minute to head into the halftime break locked in a 1-1 draw.

Boris Kouassi had a game to forget as he turned the ball into his own net at the stroke of the half-hour mark to restore Alzira’s lead.

Juan Fernandez Santiago however salvaged a point for Murcia in the 84th minute when he held his nerve to slot a penalty and keep their promotion hopes alive as they sit third.

Linton Maina

The Kenyan midfielder was introduced in the 73rd minute as his Hannover side registered a 3-0 win over St.Pauli in the German 2.Bundesliga.

Dominik Kaiser opened the scoring for Hannover in the 40th minute before Julian Borner netted in the 57th minute to hand them a healthy 2-0 lead.

Sebastian Stolze drilled the final nail in St.Pauli’s coffin in the 73rd minute before Maina was introduced a minute later in place of Cedric Teuchert.

Daniel-Kofi Kyereh and Guido Burgstaller however missed penalties for St.Pauli that would have set up a tense finale to the game.