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The 21-year-old signed for Belarus from Dhofar in August
Dinamo Brest striker Josephat ‘Bandit’ Lopaga has revealed his plans moving forward after scoring his debut goal for the Blue and White Devils just three weeks after sealing a move to the Belarusian side.
Lopaga, a reformed street urchin, plied his trade for the likes of Posta Rangers and AFC Leopards, before sealing a move to Omani side Dhofar FC, which he used as a platform to join the Belarusian club after a month-long legal battle.
08:58 - 21.08.2023
FOOTBALL Kenyan midfielder's debut goal in Belarus earns Dinamo Brest three crucial points
Lopaga joined the Belarusian side from Oman's Dhofar FC last week.
Lopaga made his debut in a 1-0 loss to Islov, coincidentally on his birthday, before admitting he would have wished for a better birthday that had a win, but made amends for it a week later, scoring the all-important goal in a 1-0 win over Slavia Mozyr.
Speaking to the club’s media for the first time since joining, Lopaga said he was looking forward to scoring more goals in order to try and help the team win
“My work here was to come and help the team by scoring goals. Hopefully, I will be scoring more goals and help the team to win,” Lopaga, 21, said.
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10:13 - 08.08.2023
FOOTBALL Reformed Kenyan street boy completes move to Belarusian club after transfer saga
The midfielder roamed the streets of Nyahururu, Nakuru, and Nairobi after fleeing the bandit-infested area of Baragoi due to the rampant cattle rustling.
Quizzed about why he thought Dinamo was the next choice to keep advancing his career, Lopaga said: “Dinamo Brest is a very good team, good fans, good City. Everything is very good in Brest. I love the fans, the city, the players, the teamwork. Everything is good in Dinamo Brest.”
Dinamo is located in a Russian-speaking area, meaning connecting with his peers due to a language barrier has been difficult.
However, in Ivorian teammate Cedric Kouassio, he has found someone who has helped him settle given he can converse in English, making adaptation to life in Belarus easy.
“We are connecting well with Cedric. He is helping me because he knows English. Most of the players do not speak English. He tries to show me the culture, how the team behaves, and everything. He is a good friend.”
Lopaga has already featured for the Kenya U17 and U23 sides, but is yet to make his full debut for Harambee Stars.
Should he maintain consistent performances in Europe, then a call-up to Engin Firat’s side looks inevitable.
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08:22 - 20.08.2023
STARS ABROAD Johnstone Omurwa shines in Portuguese Primeira Liga debut against Benfica
Kenyan defender displays strong performance, despite Benfica's victory
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