Kenya international Joseph Okumu put up another solid display as KAA Gent handed champions Club Brugge their first defeat of the season in a 6-1 demolition in a Belgian Pro League match on Sunday.
Gent took advantage of playing at home to take the lead in the ninth minute courtesy of Tarik Tissoudali and they doubled their lead in the 15th minute when midfielder Julien De Sart converted from the penalty spot.
Angola defender Nurio Fortuna made it 3-0 in the 38th minute and they were 4-0 up courtesy of Roman Bezus and though Brugge pulled a goal back courtesy of Hans Vanaken in the 65th minute, Gent never gave up as they sealed the game with two more goals via Laurent Depoitre in the 66th minute and an own goal from goalkeeper Simon Mignolet in the 79th minute.
Gent went into the game with confidence having qualified for the group stage of the Europa Conference League and coach Hein Vanhaezebrouck kept the same squad from their last assignment with the Harambee Stars' defender keeping his place at the back.
It was Gent who looked the most settled side at Ghelamco Arena and they took an early lead with only nine minutes played when a mistake by former Liverpool goalkeeper Mignolet allowed Tissoudali to find the back of the net with a looping ball.
Six minutes later, De Sart then made it 2-0 from the penalty spot after Noah Mbamba was adjudged to have brought down the advancing Sven Kums and up-stepped the Belgium midfielder, who sent Mignolet the wrong way.
After his impressive display in their Europa Conference fixture against Polish side Rakow Czestochowa which they won 3-0 to qualify 3-1 on aggregate, Okumu almost made it 3-0 for the hosts in the 25th minute after his glancing header beat Mignolet but failed to beat the cross-bar as the ball bounced out for a goal-kick.
However, Gent made it 3-0 through Fortuna, who connected a low-footed cross from Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe, and the home team headed into the half-time break with a solid 3-0 lead.
On resumption, Bezus made it 4-0 after rounding up the entire Brugge defence to slot past Mignolet but Brugge tried to come back with a goal from Vanaken, who sneaked the ball in between the legs of goalkeeper Sinan Bolat.
But Gent kept their composure and continued to attack and they were rewarded with two quick goals to seal the game courtesy of Depoitre and Mignolet’s own goal.
Okumu will now take a two-week break to travel to Kenya, where he will lead Harambee Stars in the World Cup qualifiers with matches against Uganda and Rwanda coming up.
