Stars Abroad: Omolo and Were shine in club victories

It was a good day for Kenyans abroad as all of the players featured in this article were all named in the starting eleven of their team’s encounters today. Johanna Omolo and Jesse Jackson Were contributed to their team’s victory by providing a single assist in their respective games. Regretably, Cynthia Shilawatso suffered a defeat on her first start for her Spanish based team. Here’s a wrap of how the players and their teams faired.

Johanna Omolo

Kenyan international Johanna Omolo impressed for his Turkish side as he provided an assist to the winning goal when his Erzurum BB side came from behind to claim a 2-3 win over Denizlispor in round 35 action of the Turkish Super Lig.

The match, played at the Denizli Ataturk Stadium that saw Omolo get full ninety minutes under his belt, got off to an explosive start, Emrah Bassan scoring for the visiting Erzurum as early as the second minute, an advantage they would hold onto until the half time interval.

It’s the second half where there two teams came out guns blazing, scoring four goals in that second fourty five minutes. Former Wigan and Fulham player Hugo Rodallega restored parity for the home team just a minute after the second half resumed. The forward quickly made it two for his side when he grabbed his brace in the 64th minute.

Eleven minutes to time, substitute Elbasan Rashani repaid his manager’s faith in him when he netted Erzurum’s second and equalizing goal. There was still time for drama in the game though, Omolo set up Rashani for his second and winning goal of the game in the 86th minute to give the visitors three very much needed points.

That win saw Omolo’s side end a nine match winless run as they continue with the fight to beat the drop. The result meant Erzurum BB now sit in 19th on 31 points, just three points away from safety. Denizlispor on the other hand remain rooted at the bottom of the table on 26 points.

Jesse Were

Former Tusker FC striker Jesse Were provided one assist as his Zesco United side thrashed Konkola Blades 4-0 in the Absa Cup semifinal clash played at the Arthur Davis Stadium in Zambia. Were set up Winstone Kalengo in the 16th minute for the opening goal before an own goal, an Enock Sakala strike and a Kelvin Kampamba effort made it four for Zesco to ensure the emphatic victory in the cup semis.

Cynthia Shilawatso

Over in Spain, Harambee Starlets international Cynthia Shilawatso, who plies her trade with Spanish based EDF Logrono Femenino, made her first start as her team went down 3-1 to Real Sociedad in the Primera Division.

Nerea Eizaguirre, Barbara Latorre and Nahikari Garcia scored the three goals for the home side while Londa Lunin scored the only goal for Logrono. Cynthia did not however finish the game as she was subbed off in the 65th minute of the game.