Johanna Omollo watches from the sidelines as Oostende secure narrow victory over Lierse

STARS ABROAD Johanna Omollo watches from the sidelines as Oostende secure narrow victory over Lierse

Mark Kinyanjui 12:36 - 04.02.2024

Johana Omolo will have to wait another week to make his sixth league appearance of the season for Oostende as he remained an unused substitute against Lierse.

Harambee Stars midfielder Johanna ‘Tosh’ Omollo remained an unused substitute in Oostende’s 2-1 win over Lierse on Saturday. 

Omolo, who was part of the team that represented Harambee Stars at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, scoring one goal in their famous 3-2 win over Tanzania, is playing for a sixth Belgian club in his career, having also played for Germinal Beerschot, Lommel, Royal Antwerp, Cercle and Visé.

He has played five league games for Oostende since joining last July.

In the initial half, Oostende asserted dominance without converting it into significant opportunities. 

The breakthrough came when David Atanga was fouled, resulting in a penalty. Mohamed Berte's initial attempt was thwarted, but Brent Laes pounced on the rebound to give them the lead.

Approaching halftime, Siebe Wylin was brought down in the box sparking another penalty claim, which was ignored by the referee.

Lierse nearly restored parity with a good chance just before the break but the effort  hit the side net.

Early in the second half, a lapse by former Oostende player Aristata Nkaka gifted Berte a chance, but the latter failed to capitalize. However, Wylin's persistence led to a golden opportunity for Ewan Henderson, who netted from close range, extending the lead to 0-2.

Lierse pulled one back through Joeri Poelmans narrowed the gap to 1-2 with a well-taken shot just five minutes later. 

Despite the home team's pursuit for an equalizer, Oostende's sturdy defense, anchored by Decoene, held firm. KVO remained composed, seeking opportunities on the counter.

In the final stages, there were tense moments, but the Ostende players held their ground to hold on to their victory.

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