Olunga Eyes Record-Breaking Night as Harambee Stars Begin AFCON Qualifiers
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Michael Olunga will be chasing a place in Kenya’s football history when Harambee Stars open their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign against Eritrea on Saturday, September 26. Kenya will host Eritrea at Nyayo National Stadium, with the match scheduled for 4pm.
The captain returns to the national team after missing several months through injury and will lead Benni McCarthy’s 24-man squad into the Group D encounter. He is also closing in on Kenya’s all-time international goalscoring record.
Olunga has scored 34 goals for Kenya and needs one more to draw level with former Harambee Stars striker William Ouma, who tops the country’s all-time scoring chart with 35 goals.
Two goals against Eritrea would take Olunga to 36 and make him Kenya’s outright leading international scorer.
The Al-Arabi striker reached 34 goals after scoring twice in Kenya’s 5-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Seychelles. His return gives McCarthy an experienced option at the top of the attack as Kenya begin their AFCON qualifying campaign.
Harambee Stars Top International Scorers
Olunga is not the only Kenyan striker to have left his mark on the national team.The country’s leading scorers include:
- William Ouma- 35 goals
- Michael Olunga- 34 goals
- Dennis Oliech -34 goals
- Elijah Lidonde- 33 goals
- Ali Kajo -26 goals
- Livingstone Madegwa -26 goals
- Joe Kadenge- 25 goals
- John Baraza -21 goals
- Daniel Nicodemus -17 goals
- John Nyawanga -17 goals
The figures place Olunga level with Dennis Oliech and just one goal behind Ouma.
Eritrea Have Troubled Kenya in Recent Meetings
Saturday’s opponents will also provide a test because Eritrea have enjoyed success in the recent meetings between the two sides.
The two countries have met 10 times, with Kenya recording six wins, one draw and three defeats according to 11v11’s head-to-head record.
However, Eritrea have won the last three encounters. It defeated Kenya 2-1 in the 2006 AFCON qualifiers before winning 1-0 in the return fixture in 2007.
Their most recent meeting ended in an even heavier defeat for Kenya, with Eritrea winning 4-1 in the 2019 CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup semi-final.
That history adds another layer to Saturday’s encounter as Kenya return to competitive action against an opponent they have not beaten since 2003.
McCarthy Names 24-Man Squad
McCarthy has selected 24 players for the opening AFCON qualifiers against Eritrea and Guinea. The squad combines experienced internationals with a number of younger players based both in Kenya and abroad.
Apart from Olunga, McCarthy has named forwards including Real Sociedad’s Job Ochieng, RFC Liège’s Ryan Ogam, Carlisle United’s Micah Obiero, Sharif Musa and Ben Stanley.
In midfield, Timothy Ouma, Manzur Okwaro, Chris Erambo, Duke Abuya and Marvin Nabwire have made the final selection.
The defensive group includes Rooney Onyango, Stanley Wilson, Amos Wanjala, Vincent Harper, Frank Odhiambo, Michael Kibagwe, Hannif Wesonga and Abud Omar.
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Several Players Miss Out
McCarthy’s final squad also saw several notable players dropped from the provisional selection. Among those who missed out are vice-captain Joseph Okumu, goalkeeper Ian Otieno, Wrexham defender Zak Vyner and Celta Vigo midfielder Aldrine Kibet.
Daniel Anyembe, Zech Obiero and Deon Woodman also miss the final squad because of injuries, according to reports.
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Kenya Already Qualified for AFCON 2027
Although Saturday’s match is officially part of the AFCON 2027 qualifiers, Kenya have already secured their place at the tournament.
Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania are the three co-hosts of the 2027 AFCON finals and therefore have automatic qualification.
However, Kenya remain in Group D alongside Eritrea, Guinea and South Africa. CAF says only the highest-ranked team apart from Kenya will claim the additional qualifying place from the group.
The qualifiers therefore give McCarthy competitive matches to assess his players and develop the team before the tournament, which will be staged in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania from June 19 to July 17, 2027.
Harambee Stars will not have much time to recover after the Nyayo encounter. Kenya will travel to Conakry to face Guinea on October 1 in their second Group D match.
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Photo collage of Michael Olunga celebrating a goal against Qatar during an international friendly match
PHOTO/Simon Holmes