KAA Gent’s head coach, Hein Vanhaezebrouck, has opened up about the recent struggles faced by Super Eagles striker Gift Orban, in finding the back of the net in recent games.
Vanhaezebrouck has now expressed concerns over Orban’s recent goalless streak, which has extended to six consecutive matches, dating back to the Europa Conference League playoff tie against APOEL Nicosia.
Gift Orban’s lack of goals can be traced to a good number of factor which are believed to have contributed to his dip in form. Fitness issues have plagued the 2023 Super Eagles invitee, causing him to miss out on the national team’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against São Tomé and Príncipe in Uyo.
Additionally, the 21-year-old may be grappling with a lack of motivation following unsuccessful summer transfer window pursuits by clubs like Lille and Tottenham Hotspur.
In a recent statement after Gent’s 1-1 draw with RWD Molenbeek, Vanhaezebrouck remarked, “Scoring has become somewhat of a challenge for us. Hugo Cuypers wasn’t available tonight, and he, like Gift Emmanuel Orban, has seen a decrease in his goal tally in recent weeks.
“We’ve had numerous opportunities, but we’re failing to capitalize on them. In every tournament, there’s usually one player who scores consistently. Hopefully, someone will step up and find the back of the net for us.”
Orban’s last goal came in the 35th minute of Gent’s 2-2 draw against Sint-Truiden on August 20. Since then, he has endured a goal drought spanning 359 minutes of play, failing to score against Club Brugge, OH Leuven, KAS Eupen, RWD Molenbeek, and APOEL Nicosia.
Orban had a very immersive outing last season where he scored 20 goals in 22 appearances with all the goals scored during the second half of the after his transfer from Stabæk Fotball, The young striker also started the current season on a promising note with six goals in six games.
