Kenyan forward Alfred Scriven Richard displayed his exceptional scoring prowess as he played a pivotal role in leading his club, Hodd, to a resounding 3-1 victory over Sandnes Ulf in a thrilling Norwegian Division One league match held on Sunday at the Øster Hus Arena in Sandnes.
The forward who is set to miss Harambee Stars Four Nations Tournament, was handed a starting position in the game, which proved to be a captivating encounter filled with ups and downs. The first half concluded without any goals, as both teams struggled to find the back of the net in a closely contested battle.
Alfred Scriven scores
However, it was in the second half that the match truly came to life. Nine minutes into the half, Sandnes managed to break the deadlock with Matias Moldskred Belli scoring the opening goal.
Determined to bounce back and secure the three points, Hodd intensified their efforts and applied relentless pressure on their opponents. Their persistence paid off in the 67th minute when Simen Kvia-Egeskog found the back of the net, beating the opposing goalkeeper Aslak Falch and levelling the score.
Scriven proved to be the hero of the day in the 72nd minute, slotting the ball into the back of the net to give his team the lead.
Hodd’s victory was sealed just four minutes later when Erlend Hellevik Larsen’s strike found the target, extending their lead and effectively securing the victory.
This triumph provided a much-needed boost for Hodd, who had been enduring a challenging season thus far. Prior to this match, they had only managed to secure three wins in their first 11 league matches. The victory catapulted them to 12th position in the league standings with a total of 14 points, instilling a renewed sense of confidence and optimism among the players and coaching staff.
For Scriven, this match marked yet another impressive display of his goal-scoring abilities. With his goal in this game, he has now found the back of the net four times in 12 appearances this season. As a regular starter for Hodd, he has amassed a total of 994 minutes on the pitch. It is evident that Scriven possesses a natural instinct for scoring goals, making him a valuable asset to the club.
Looking ahead, Scriven has set his sights on surpassing his performance from the previous season. In the 2022 season, he scored an impressive seven goals in 24 appearances, accumulating a total of 1654 minutes on the pitch.
More about Scriven
Born to an English father and a Kenyan mother, Scriven’s journey in football has predominantly unfolded in Norway. Throughout his career, he has showcased his talents with six different clubs, accumulating of 28 goals in 109 appearances.
In addition to his club commitments, Scriven has also been involved with the Harambee Stars, Kenya’s national team. In a recent friendly match against Iran during the previous international window, Scriven was part of the team that lost 2-1. The match which was Kenya’s first in over a year and a half, was played at the Azadi Sports Complex in Tehran
The forward will be hoping to be part of the Harambee Stars squad that will be on duty in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The qualifiers are set to start in November with a total of nine slots in the final tournament and 1 inter-confederation play-off slot reserved for CAF teams.
