Why Michael Olunga could miss Harambee Stars’ opening 2025 AFCON qualifiers

1st September 2024 - by Tony Kipkorir

Firat has disclosed that the Harambee Stars captain is a doubt for upcoming AFCON qualifiers in September.

SUMMARY

Harambee Stars will host Zimbabwe on Friday, September 6 at the Mandela National Stadium in Kampala, Uganda.
They will then lock horns with Namibia on Tuesday, September 10 at Orlando Stadium in South Africa.
Kenya is in Group J alongside Namibia, Cameroon and Zimbabwe and will be seeking a perfect start.

Qatar-based forward Michael Olunga is unlikely to feature for the Harambee Stars in the 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers set for this month due to injury-related reasons according to head coach Engin Firat.

Olunga has been nursing an injury that has forced him not to play for his Qatari outfit Al-Duhail SC in the past two matches with Firat revealing that the 30-year-old will have to undergo some tests to determine his availability.

“Michael Olunga is a low chance. He will come for an MRI but it is a low chance. We have already lost many players for the matches but we have to find solutions,” he said during a press conference.

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Should Olunga fail to recover on time, Firat may turn to the likes of former Gor Mahia forward Benson Omala, Victor Omune, John Avire or Jonah Ayunga to look for goals.

He further divulged that Serbian-based defender Collins Sichenje has been ruled out of the two upcoming fixtures after picking up an injury while playing for his club FK Vojvodina.

Meanwhile, Firat expressed his disappointment for failing to give three players with Kenyan roots a chance due to difficulties in processing their travel documents.

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“I wanted to invite two new players again for this September but in Kenya it is not so simple with this passport issue and I have no clue how it works or whatever.

We have a boy in Australia, England and another in Ireland. The boys have Kenyan roots but it is not so simple to get the passport. I thought it would be simple but now I have the experience that it is not,” disclosed the Turkish tactician.

Harambee Stars will host Zimbabwe on Friday September 6 at the Mandela National Stadium in Kampala, Uganda before locking horns with Namibia on Tuesday, September 10 at Orlando Stadium in South Africa.

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