Okumu’s Stade de Reims’ debut hit by injury scare
By Joel Sang, July 27, 2023Harambee Stars defender Joseph Okumu had a short debut for Stade de Reims after he was substituted early in their friendly match against Getafe on Wednesday, July 26, 2023.
The centre-back was named in the starting squad as the French club faced the Spanish opponents in a pre-season friendly, but he only lasted for 21 minutes before he was replaced. Okumu went down without any opponents around him, and his place was consequently filled by Emmanuel Agbadou in the 22nd minute as his club went on to claim a 1-0 victory.
Stade de Reims’ friendlies
With the club yet to reveal the exact reason why Okumu was replaced, it remains to be seen whether the Harambee Star will be involved in the second pre-season friendly against Real Zaragoza on July 29. After their tour of Spain, Okumu’s new side will travel back home, where they are scheduled to face Serie A side Torino on August 6 at Stade Auguste-Delaune II.
His debut appearance at the Stade de Reims came just five days after he sealed a move from KAA Gent in Belgium.
Though his first appearance may not have gone according to plan, the former Chemelil Sugar star is expected to be a mainstay in the Stade de Reims starting team.
The defender had become a key player for the Belgian top side, and much is expected of him when he starts the new challenge with Stade de Reims in Ligue 1. While at KAA Gent, he played in 92 official matches and experienced his best moment on April 18 last year, when he defended very strongly in the cup final against Anderlecht.
Ligue 1 start
After the pre-season tour, Stade de Reims will shift focus to the 2023–24 season, where they will begin the league campaign against Marseille on August 12. Their second Ligue 1 match is against Clermont on August 20.
Meanwhile, Okumu’s transfer to France is expected to have a positive impact on his international career. He will face a new challenge with a different exposure, and this may in turn help him solidify the Harambee Stars’ defensive line.
Kenya will participate in the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers as well as the World Cup qualifying process, and to get positive results, key and experienced players like Okumu need to be on top of their games.