Kenya defender Ouma with an assist for AIK Fotboll, Banda on target

Kenya international Eric Ouma produced the assist for the only goal as AIK Fotball defeated Kalmar FF 1-0 in Allsvenskan on Sunday.

The 25-year-old Harambee Star retained his starting left-back role for AIK and he turned the provider in the 40th minute when his cross found Mikael Lustig, who scored for the important win.

AIK headed into the fixture having failed to win their last three fixtures. They had drawn 1-1 against Degerfors, lost 1-0 against Mjallby and drew 2-2 against IF Elfsborg.

Against Kalmar at Friends Arena, AIK went into the offensive from the onset and they should have taken an early lead in the 12th minute when Marcelo Stefanelli saw his left-footed effort rattle the woodwork with goalkeeper Ricardo Henrique Schuck Friedrich out of his line.

AIK continued to press their visitors and they missed another chance in the 24th minute when Stefanelli put through Bilal Hussein after combining well with former Arsenal player Sebastian Larsson but Hussein’s final effort was off target.

The pressure finally paid off for AIK when Ouma received a looping ball from the right-wing, took a calm control using his left-foot before dropping the ball into the danger zone, and it found Lustig, who hit it one time past Friedrich for what turned out to be the winner.

Other Kenyan players in AIK squad – Henry Meja and Collins Shichenje – were not involved as Ouma played for the entire game.

The win saw AIK move third on the 16-team table with 28 points from 15 matches. They will now shift their focus to the Europa Conference League second round qualifying fixture against Vorsikla at Tele2 Arena on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Zambia international Emmanuel Banda provided an assist and scored in Djurgarden’s 5-0 win against Varnamo at Tele2 Arena.

Haris Radetinac scored the opener for Djurgarden in the 15th minute before Magnus Eriksson doubled their lead in the 30th minute for a 2-0 lead at the half-time break.

On resumption, Banda added the third in the 57th minute and then set up Eriksson for the fourth in the 67th minute. The emphatic win was confirmed in the stoppage time when Victor Edvardsen drilled home the fifth goal.

Djurgarden are now topping the log with 30 points from 15 matches and will next face Croatian outfit Rijeka in the Europa Conference League at Stadion HNK Rijeka on Thursday.

Ouma provides superb assist for AIK

Can the Harambee Star help AIK Fotboll to win the top-flight this season?