Olunga's return to goal-scoring crucial for Harambee Stars’ lofty ambitions

Kenya's Harambee Stars defied expectations, including perhaps their own, by clinching victory in the Four Nations tournament held in Malawi during the recent international break.

However, it wasn't merely the wins against hosts Malawi and Zimbabwe that left a mark. It was as much how they went about getting the results.

For a team that historically struggles to score goals - they had managed to score more than twice in a match in only two of their previous 22 international matches – the seven goals they put past the southern African nations will go down in history.

Spearheading this rare offensive charge was captain and leading marksman Michael Olunga. The rangy forward will be the first to admit he was feeling the pressure to deliver.

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His form had been wanting despite netting twice in the impressive 5-0 win away against Seychelles in a 2026 World Cup qualifier last November.

Before those twin goals, Olunga had gone six successive matches without scoring, a record you would not want from your main man up top.

Yet, as the saying goes, class is permanent.

He was in a class of his own in Lilongwe, reminding his critics there were still lots of goals in him.

Against favorites Malawi, Olunga stunned the home crowd, giving Kenya an early lead with a poacher’s goal straight from kickoff.

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He then kept his nerve four minutes later to drill low and into the bottom corner from the spot, the two goals putting Kenya on their way to a morale-boosting 3-1 victory.

The final against Zimbabwe coincided with Olunga's birthday, and the Al-Duhail forward gifted himself the perfect present with his maiden international hat-trick.

Kenya conceded early as Joseph Okumu netted a sublime own goal from a cross.

Olunga then grabbed the spotlight forward with a perfect hat-trick, first heading home a cross from Ayub Timbe, then stroking home with his weaker right following a parried ball from the Zim goalkeeper.

He capped off his masterclass display with a left-footed piledriver from 30 yards out.

The goals saw Olunga join an exclusive list of only three other players who have scored a hat-trick for the national team: Mike Okoth, Sammy Okoth and Abdulrahman Baraza. It also secured Kenya its first silverware in over six years.

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The goals will give the 30-year-old lots of confidence and hopefully get the doubting Thomases off his back, even if temporarily.

Criticism from some quarters, including calls for coach Engin Firat to bench him, had intensified as he struggled to find the back of the net regularly.

He answered them but now needs to keep this rediscovered form for both club and country ahead of critical fixtures. He won’t be called upon for international duty until the end of May during two crucial 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Burundi and African champions Ivory Coast.

You fancy Ivory Coast to top the group and Kenya, Gabon and perhaps Burundi to fight for the runners-up spot – a gateway to the playoff for inter-confederation playoffs.

Kenyans will be hoping that Olunga’s exploits in Lilongwe weren’t just a rare good day in the office. They will be relying on him to lead from the front and sustain Kenya's quest for World Cup qualification for as long as possible.

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