Covid-19 hits Michael Olunga’s team
Kashiwa Reysol's Kenyan striker Michael Olunga celebrates scoring a goal in the J-League against Shonan.
What you need to know:
- A press release from the Japan Professional League said on Monday that the process of identifying suspected close contacts for the two people whose test results were not obtained could not be taken by the time the match is held forcing the match to be cancelled.
Michael Olunga’s Kashiwa Reysol will not play Vegalta Sendai in a Japanese League One match scheduled for Tuesday after a player in their team was diagnosed with coronavirus on Monday.
A press release from the Japan Professional League said on Monday that the process of identifying suspected close contacts for the two people whose test results were not obtained could not be taken by the time the match is held forcing the match to be cancelled.
“We will inform you of the alternative date as soon as it is decided,” said J1 League on its website.
Kashiwa is also due to face FC Tokyo in the final of the 2020 J League YBC Levain Cup slated for Saturday.
The statement says multiple PCR (Polymerise chain reaction) tests will be conducted on Kashiwa Reysol players and staff under the guidance of an expert team. Preparations for the Levain Cup will not be halted. “We will proceed with preparations for the match,” said the statement.
No names revealed
Forward Olunga leads the scoring charts in the Japan’s top-tier league after netting 23 goals.
Neither the J1 League nor Kashiwa Reysol have disclosed the name of the player who has contracted the deadly virus that has killed 1.2 million people worldwide, including 1,774 in Japan and 1,013 in Olunga’s homeland, Kenya.
The 26-year-old Kenyan international has been in fine form this season since helping Kashiwa gain promotion from the second-tier league by pumping in 27 goals as the side finished on top of the table.
Olunga is one of the key players new Harambee Stars coach Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee is banking on to inspire Kenya against Comoros in back-to-back Group “G” qualifying matches for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations slated for November 11 in Nairobi and November 15 in Iconi.
