Nigerian striker Gift Orban has been making waves in Belgian football since his impressive rise from playing for Norway’s second-tier club Stabaek to joining Gent in under a year. Orban’s goalscoring talent was first spotted by agent Emefie Atta Aneke at a tournament in Nigeria, and his special appreciation of space and varied finishing skills caught the attention of Gent scout Samuel Cardenas.
The Rise of Gift Orban
Orban’s talent and professionalism have impressed both teammates and opponents, with the 20-year-old striking nine goals in just eight Belgian league matches and five goals in four Europa League appearances. His hattrick against Basaksehir helped Gent reach the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League, where they will face West Ham United.
Orban’s journey started when Stabaek’s sporting director Torgeir Bjarmann signed him from an amateur tournament in Nigeria. The young Nigerian adapted quickly to Norwegian football, becoming the league’s top scorer with 16 goals in 19 matches before signing for Gent for €3.5m (£3.06m).
Not just a predator in the penalty area, Orban is a versatile attacker who loves moving to the wings, making spaces for others, and shooting from distance. His performance against West Ham United in the Europa Conference League quarterfinal will be like a job interview for him as he dreams of playing in the Premier League or Bundesliga.
Gent’s chief executive Michel Louwagie believes that Orban might be a more complete striker than Canadian star Jonathan David. Despite being only in Europe for a year, Orban is focused on winning everything according to scout Samuel Cardenas, who has been amazed by his “crazy winning mentality”.
Gent vs West Ham United
Gent will face West Ham United in the Europa Conference League quarterfinal on March 11, and the Londoners should be wary of Orban’s skills and self-confidence. Gent has recovered from their loss to Club Brugge with a seven-game unbeaten run while West Ham United is currently in 14th place in the Premier League.
West Ham topped Group B, going ahead of Anderlecht, Silkeborg, and FCSB and eliminated AEK Larnaca in the Round of 16. Gent ranked second in Group F, behind Djugarden, while Molde and Shamrock Rovers ranked third and fourth. As Gent is currently fourth in the Jupiler League, with a 16-7-9 record and 62 goals on familiar territory, they have a chance to provide joy to their fan base by winning the Conference League.
West Ham has collected all maximum points from their opening two games in Group H and has won four of their last five matches. They also kept a clean sheet in three of those matches. Despite that, Gent defeated Qarabag and Basaksehir FK in the knockouts while West Ham had little problems with AEK Larnaca.
Prediction
The match between Gent and West Ham United will be an interesting clash between two promising sides with different styles of play. While Gent’s strength lies in their potent attack, West Ham United’s strong defense will provide formidable opposition. The odds are stacked slightly against Gent, with bookmakers offering odds of 3.50 on them winning the match.
However, as Orban sets his sights on Premier League or Bundesliga football, he will be keen to impress against West Ham United. The author predicts that West Ham United will win the match 3-1 with over 2.5 goals scored. Fans can look forward to an exciting match between these two teams as both aim for glory in the Europa Conference League.
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