Can Red Hot Olunga Inspire Kenya to AFCON?

Harambee Stars lethal striker will land in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Monday in fine form having scored two back to back goals for his Japanese club Kashiwa Reysol.

Olunga was on target on Saturday as his club shocked league leaders Sanfrence Hiroshima at the Edion Stadium. Junya Ito scored a brace to pull the club from the relegation zone.

Junya broke the deadlock on 23 minutes before completing his double four minutes later. Olunga claimed his third goal for Reysol 10 minutes to the break. And the Kenyan striker celebrated his goal in spectacular fashi0n, pulling out the Kenyan flag.

 

Olunga had scored in the team’s 3-2 defeat to Urawa Reds last Sunday as the race to avoid relegation from the 18-team league hots up with five matches to go.

But now Kenyans will be hoping the lanky striker transfers his fine form to the national team as Harambee stars face a tricky Ethiopia side on Wednesday.

Everyone knows that if Harambee Stars are to return to the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals for the first time in more than a decade, the burden lies in the hands of Michael Olunga Ogada.

Just like the team had Dennis Oliech when they last qualified in 2004, Olunga perfectly fits the bill as the one expected to lead the 2019 Afcon campaign.

And it is easy to see why. At just 24 years old, the Japan-based striker proved his mettle as a consistent goal scorer on whom coach Sebastian Migne can bank his hopes for goals.

Olunga has been instrumental in the two goals that Kenya have scored in the qualifiers so far. He scored the consolation in the 2-1 loss to Sierra Leone last year and forced the defender to concede an Own goal against Ghana last time out.

Kenya have a high chance of making it to Cameroon in June next year, as FIFA just suspended Sierra Leone from participating in the competitions.

The move is likely to have a direct impact on Harambee Stars’ chances of qualifying for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) from Group “F” where the West African nation had been pooled alongside Kenya, Ghana and Ethiopia.

Kenya is second in the group with three points similar to leaders Ghana. Ethiopia, who beat Sierra Leone 1-0 on September 9, lose the points.

With this development, Kenya and Ethiopia will be the only teams involved from the group in next week’s assignments with four points sufficient to seal Stars’ return to Afcon after a 14-year hiatus.

It is therefore up to Olunga and co to ensure the team gets a favorable result in Ethiopia.

Can they?

 

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