The match was the first since sport in Japan were suspended for four months due to the Covid-19 outbreak Harambee Stars striker Michael Olunga was in action for Kashiwa Ryesol in Saturday's home loss against FC Tokyo.

Olunga, a trusted goal hunter for Kashiwa Reysol, did not manage to find the back of the net as they went down 1-0 at Sankyo Frontier Kashiwa Stadium. Japan's J1 League resumed with nine matches staged on July 4.

Tsuyoshi Watanabe scored the goal that separated Olunga's side from their visitors in the 62nd minute with the assist coming from Masato Morishige.

The loss saw Kashiwa Reysol lose ground with the leading sides as they have now dropped to the eighth position on three points following their win in the J1 League opener.

Tokyo are second after winning both matches of the season and their inferior goal difference puts them behind Sanfrecce Hiroshima. The J1 League had been suspended after only one match had been played.

After the competition was halted, Olunga revealed his worry that it may affect his goal scoring form. “I had scored against Gamba Osaka in the J-Cup and then scored in the first league match of the season and then the games were stopped,” Olunga explained in an earlier interview.

“With that form, I was looking to be among the top scorers in the league here and also positively influence the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. “It is the first thing I am experiencing this and already miss playing football.”

At the end of May, Japan's football governing body had announced that the league is expected to resume in early July after almost four months of suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic.

As is the practice adopted by other leagues that have resumed, J1 League restarted behind closed doors. The football administration had promised to assess the situation going forward and whether fans will be allowed in the later phases of football activities.

Officials and players had to be tested before the resumption and a similar test will be undertaken after two weeks to check whether there are re-infections. The J1 League is expected to establish its own testing facilities in order to complement the efforts set up by the health institutions.

Olunga opened his J1 League maiden campaign with a double for Kashiwa Reysol against Consadole Sapporo on February 22. The former Thika United, Tusker and Gor Mahia striker was Kashiwa Reysol's top scorer and runner-up on the J2 League scorers' chart.