Olunga warms up for Ethiopia tie with goal in J-League
Kenyan striker Michael Olunga has tuned up for Harambee Stars’ next continental assignments in style by scoring in his successive league match for his new club Kashiwa Reysol in Japan’s J-League.
On Saturday Olunga scored to lead his club to a shock 3-0 triumph over table toppers Sanfrecce Hiroshima at the Edion Stadium. The 24-year old struck five minutes after the hour mark to set his team on course for the convincing win.
This is the third goal the former Girona striker has scored in seven J-league matches. It comes three days after he scored in his team’s 3-2 loss to Urawa Diamonds.
Olunga is expected to lead the line for a cash-strapped Kenyan team in back-to-back 2019 Africa Nations Cup qualifiers against Ethiopia in Bahir Dar and Nairobi on October 10 and 14 respectively.
COACH MIGNE UPBEAT
He is expected to connect directly to Addis Ababa from his base in Hitachi on Monday ahead of the first leg assignment against the Walya Antelopes.
Meanwhile, the first batch of Harambee Stars players departed for Ethiopia on Saturday morning, with coach Sebastian Migne saying he is confident of a positive outcome.
“Of course it won’t be easy against Ethiopia since they are also equally strong, but my players are up to the task and I’m confident we will get a positive result,” Migne said.
A host of other professionals including returning captain Victor Wanyama – who featured during Tottenham Hotspur’s 4-2 loss to Barcelona at Wembley stadium on Wednesday in a Uefa Champions League clash – are also expected in Addis Ababa on Monday.