Hail the 'Engineer': Olunga wins J1 League Golden Boot

Kenyan international Michael Olunga clinched the 2020 J1 League top scorer after scoring in Kashiwa Reysol's 1-0 win over hosts Sanfrecce Hiroshima on Wednesday in their match at the Edion Stadium.

The goal took his tally to 27 this season and ended his three-match goal drought in the top-flight league.

With one match to go, the 26-year-old, who grabbed 27 goals in the second-tier competition won by Kashiwa in 2019, has opened a 10-goal gap against his closest challenger, Everaldo of Kashima Antlers.

Everaldo will need more than a miracle to dislodge Olunga from the top of the scoring chart. The 29-year-old Brazilian forward could miss Kashima’s tricky season-ending fixture against Cerezo Osaka on December 19 after undergoing surgery on Monday.

Everaldo had a nasal fracture in their league game against Shimizu S-Pulse on December 12 and was scheduled to resume general practice later this week.

Olunga, who is the joint second highest paid Reysol player (Sh85.6 million per year), after 33-year-old Brazilian right-winger Cristiano (Sh96.3 million), will add Sh530,000 on his account as prize money for winning the Golden Boot.

The Kenyan international, who pockets the same amount of salary as 23-year-old Brazilian-Italian attacking midfielder Matheus Savio, will get his prize during the J League Awards on December 22.

Right from kick-off, Olunga, nicknamed by his fans as Engineer, showed he was hungry for goals. Olunga, who had not scored since their 2-0 win against Vegalta Sendai on December 1, swung in a ferocious shot with his lethal right-foot from a throw-in in the second minute which resulted in an unfruitful corner.

In the 17 minute, Kashiwa broke and it ended with Olunga scoring a delightful goal. He responded to a through pass supplied by Hiroto Goya before beating goalkeeper Keisuke Osako with his left foot.

Kashiwa missed a couple of chances to extend their lead and were also kept in the game by South Korean goalkeeper, Kim Seung Gyu, who made two great saves before the breather.

Coach Nelsinho’s side began the second half strongly, with playmaker Ataru Esaka and Goya missing the target narrowly.

Orange balls were used for visibility purposes due to the snow that started falling before the game.

Olunga, who is targeting 30 goals this season, will get a chance to do so in Kashiwa’s final league fixture at home against champions Kawasaki Frontale on December 19.

After Wednesday’s win, Kashiwa stays seventh on the 18-team log with 52 points, two behind sixth-ranked FC Tokyo, who they face in Levain Cup final on January 4, 2021. Hiroshima is eighth with 48.

In other matches held on Wednesday, Cerezo Osaka lost 1-2 to Sagan Tosu, Shonan Bellmare went down 1-2 against Oita Trinita as Gamba Osaka won 2-0 against Yokohama FC.

Frontale hit Urawa Red Diamonds 3-1 and Shimizu succumbed to a 3-2 loss against Vegalta Sendai.