Job Ochieng Emulates McDonald Mariga and Michael Olunga With Historic Feat in Spain

Harambee Stars winger Job Ochieng became the third Kenyan player to feature in La Liga when he made his Spanish top flight debut on Saturday.

Harambee Stars forward Job Ochieng became the third Kenyan player to play in La Liga following his debut for Real Sociedad on Saturday.

Ochieng came on in the 65th minute of Sociedad’s 3-1 win over Elche as they extended their unbeaten run to seven games at the Reale Arena.

The Kenyan came on when his side were leading 2-1 in a match that Sociedad dominated as they continue to push for European football qualification next season.

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Sociedad took a 24th minute lead through Luca Sucic’s low strike before captain Mikel Oyarzabal made it 2-0 after 37 minutes, having taken advantage of a poor back pass from Elche.

Historic Moment for Kenyan Forward

The visitors would, however, pull one back in the 42nd minute through Andre Silva for a 2-1 lead at the break for Sociedad.

Sociedad started the second half in fine fashion and thought they had scored a third goal in the 52nd minute through Pablo Marín but it was belatedly ruled out for offside.

Coach Pellegrino Matarazzo would make a couple of substitutions in the 65th minute with Ochieng coming on for Goncalo Guedes while Jon Aramburu was introduced for Alvaro Odriozola.

It was a historic moment for Ochieng who became the third Kenyan player to ever feature in the Spanish top flight, joining McDonald Mariga, who also played for Sociedad, and Michael Olunga, who turned out for Girona.

Can Ochieng Surpass Mariga and Olunga?

Ochieng added bite to Sociedad’s attack as they pushed for the third goal and it arrived in the 89th minute through Orri Oskarsson, the result leaving them in eighth place on the table with 31 points from 23 games.

It has been a long wait for Ochieng who has had to cut his teeth in the Sociedad’s second-string team and he can now look forward to more matches as a La Liga player for the rest of the season.

The former Ligi Ndogo protégé will hope to play more matches and surpass Mariga, who played 14 games for Sociedad on loan from Inter Milan in the 2021-12 campaign, and Olunga, who also featured in 14 for Girona and scored three goals in the 2017-18 season.