All eyes on Omala as Olunga doubtful for 2025 Afcon qualifier

Harambee Stars striker Benson Omala is ready to fill captain Michael Olunga’s big shoes should the Qatar-based forward fail to pass a late fitness test for Kenya’s opening 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) Group “J” qualifier against Zimbabwe on Friday. 

Kenya will host the match at Mandela National Stadium in Kampala, since no local venue meets Fifa and Caf’s standards for  hosting international football matches.

Four days later, Namibia will  ‘host’ Kenya at the Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg, South Africa. Namibia also lacks a stadium that meets Fifa and Caf’s standards for hosting international football matches.

Five-time champions Cameroon are also in the pool. The top two teams from the 12 qualifying groups will qualify for the 2025 Afcon finals in Morocco. 

Despite Olunga being a serious doubt for the match due to an injury, which has seen him miss Al-Duhail’s last two matches, Harambee Stars coach Engin Firat yesterday named him in the 25-man traveling squad.

The team was due to leave for Kampala this morning. Speaking on the sidelines of Harambee Stars' training at Police Sacco Stadium in Nairobi yesterday, Omala, 22, said he is now experienced and ready to lead Kenya’s attack in the match should he be called upon.

‘Anything can happen’

“Every player should be ready because anything can happen. I have been in the system and I think I have learnt a lot from the captain. Given a chance, I will do my best,” Omala, who plays for Lebanon’s top side Al-Safa FC, said.

Omala clinched the Football Kenya Federation Premier League’s Golden Boot last season with 19 goals as he led Gor Mahia to an unprecedented 21st title. 

Firat said that after Olunga links up with the team in Kampala, he will undergo a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to determine the extent of the injury and whether he can play the match. 

“He (Olunga) will come for an MRI, but like I said, his chances of playing are very low. We have already lost many players and need to find a solution,” said the coach.

Olunga’s absence will be a big blow to Harambee Stars after he became the top scorer in the Four-Nation tournament in Lilongwe, Malawi in March.

After scoring a brace in Kenya’s 4-0 win over Malawi on March 23, Olunga shone with a hat-trick in their 3-1 win over Zimbabwe three days later.

Apart from Omala, John Avire, and Scotland-based Jonah Ayunga are the other strikers named in the squad.

Firat added that defender Collins Sichenje is also sidelined for the Afcon qualifiers due to an injury he picked while playing for his club, FK Vojvodina in Serbia on Saturday. 

“I do not know why we are always unlucky during Fifa days, we always have some injured players…We have lost so many players already for the matches but we need to find a solution,” said the Turk.

Defender Daniel Anyembe and striker Masud Juma also miss out due to injuries.

But the coach is relieved with the return of key defenders Joseph Okumu and Erick “Marcelo” Ouma. Harambee Stars began training on Thursday and Firat admitted it is not enough time to prepare the team adequately for the important matches. 

While the coach reckoned that Zimbabwe and Namibia are strong sides, their target, he said, is to garner four points out of the maximum six.

“I cannot say that we are 100 percent strong. What I know is that the boys who are here will fight for every second and give their best,” he added.

“We know how difficult it will be for two games and we hope for six points, but I think that if we can have four, it will be a very good start,” he added.