Clarke Oduor makes memorable debut for Bradford City in hard-fought contest

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STARS ABROAD Clarke Oduor makes memorable debut for Bradford City in hard-fought contest

Festus Chuma 11:46 - 06.08.2023

Former Barnsley star shows promise as Harambee Stars wing-back impresses on opening day.

Harambee Stars wing-back Clarke Oduor made an impressive competitive debut for English League Two side Bradford City on Saturday, despite his team falling to a 1-0 defeat against Crawley Town.

Oduor, who recently joined the side on a three-year deal in May, played the full 90 minutes in a hard-fought match that saw Bradford City reduced to ten men in the closing stages of the first half. 

The game's only goal came from Will Wright, who expertly curled in a 30-yard free-kick into the bottom corner of Harry Lewis' net shortly after Daniel Oyegoke was sent off, giving the Red Devils the crucial three points.

Daniel Oyegoke, who had already received a yellow card for a foul on Dom Telford, found himself in trouble again when he brought down Danilo Orsi and was shown a second yellow card, leaving Bradford City with a numerical disadvantage. 

However, despite the setback, Oduor displayed his defensive prowess and contributed offensively during the second half.

He had a promising opportunity to score when a well-executed move down the right-hand side by Pattison and Halliday found the Kenyan in the middle, but unfortunately, he couldn't direct his effort on target.

Crawley Town's substitutes Klaidi Lolos and Aaron Henry threatened Bradford City's goal just before the hour mark, but their efforts flew over Harry Lewis' net. 

As the hosts aimed to secure the three points, the Bantams continued their hunt for an equalizer deep into stoppage time. 

They came close to leveling the score through Ridehalgh's headed effort, but Crawley Town's solid defense held on, ensuring they left with all three points on the opening day of the season.

Clarke Oduor's journey to Bradford City began after his release from Barnsley, where he had previously made 57 appearances since joining them in 2019.

 Graduating from Leeds United's academy in 2017, the 23-year-old Kenyan international has been making significant strides in his career. 

Oduor boasts one cap for the Harambee Stars, earned in October 2020 when he played a vital role in Kenya's 2-1 friendly win against Zambia.

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