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Olunga out, Were recalled for Harambee Stars tie against Ghana


Harambee Stars coach Sebastian Migne will be without the services of lead striker Micheal Olunga in the team’s 2019 Africa Nations Cup qualification match against Ghana in Accra.

In his stead, Migne has called up Zesco United striker Jesse Were.

According to Football Kenya Federation, Olunga who currently plies his trade at Japan second-tier club Kashiwa Reysol, injured himself after scoring in a league match away to Albirex Niigata last weekend.

The injury is expected to rule the 24-year old out of competitive action for three weeks. He has been the most influential player in the national team, scoring against Sierra Leone and Ethiopia.

Olunga also contributed immensely to the goal Kenya scored against Ghana in Nairobi in the reverse fixture.

Twenty-eight-year-old Were had missed out on the initial squad named by Migne, despite a rich vein of form both in the Zambian league and Caf Confederation Cup.

Stars are set to hit camp on March 17 ahead of the clash against Black Stars which will determine which team tops the group.

Kenya has for the first time in 15 years qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations set to be held in Egypt between June 21 and July 19, 2019.

The team is set to pitch a three-week camp in France ahead of the continental showpiece.