The Harambee Stars forward Jonah Ayunga marked his return from a nine-month ACL injury with his first goal for St.Mirren, contributing significantly to their 2-0 triumph over Ross County on Saturday evening. His performance earned him the Man-of-the-Match title.
Ayunga was active for 77 minutes, during which he made three shots on target, completed a successful dribble, delivered two key passes, and created a significant scoring opportunity. He also won half of his eight ground duels, showcasing his strong presence on the field in his fourth season appearance since his injury in February.
The game began with a sense of disappointment among fans due to the absence of Keanu Baccus in the starting lineup. Manager Robinson explained Baccus’s recent weariness from extensive travel with the Australian national team. However, Baccus entered the game after 18 minutes, replacing the injured Caolan Boyd-Munce.
St Mirren maintained their dynamic play despite Ross County’s efforts. Jordan White missed a chance for Ross County, and St Mirren continued to pressure with Ayunga twice forcing saves from goalkeeper Laidlaw. Greg Kiltie also hit the crossbar in a collaborative effort with Stav Nahmani.
Ross County’s resilience was eventually broken by St Mirren’s persistent attack. Ayunga’s moment came when he outpaced the Ross County defense and powerfully scored past Laidlaw, a fitting highlight for his outstanding performance.
Looking ahead, St Mirren will play against Motherwell on the coming Saturday, 16 December, while Ross County will host Dundee at the same time.
