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McCarthy could be forced to do without the services of the key forward when he leads Harambee Stars in their first two clashes against The Gambia and Gabon in March.
Incoming Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy may have to plan for his first matches in charge without the services of key forward Jonah Ayunga.
The St Mirren striker was forced to sit out his club's Scottish Premiership clash against Celtic on Saturday due to an ankle injury.
His injury comes as a significant concern for McCarthy, who is set to oversee Kenya’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in March.
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Harambee Stars will first travel to face The Gambia—coached by former Gor Mahia boss Johnathan McKinstry—on March 17, before hosting Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s Gabon at Nyayo National Stadium on March 24.
Ayunga, who made his Kenya debut in March 2024 against Malawi, has been a crucial part of St Mirren’s squad this season. Despite primarily featuring off the bench, he has made 19 league appearances and contributed two goal involvements.
His recent form, which included an assist against Rangers a fortnight ago, earned him a starting role in the midweek fixture against Hearts. However, his outing was cut short at halftime after sustaining an ankle problem, leading to his absence from the squad against Celtic.
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St Mirren struggled in Ayunga’s absence, falling to a 5-2 defeat at The SMiSA Stadium in a match where the final scoreline did not fully reflect the balance of play.
The Buddies twice fought back, with Declan John and Killian Phillips responding to goals from Celtic’s Jeffrey Schlupp and Arne Engels. However, a late surge saw substitute Hyunjun Yang net twice, alongside a strike from Daizen Maeda, securing a commanding victory for the visitors.
Ayunga's international career has been gaining momentum, with the forward netting his first goal for Kenya on November 15, 2024, during a crucial 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
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Born in England to a Kenyan father and English mother, he initially received a national team call-up in 2016 but only made his debut earlier this year.
Ayunga has openly stated he would wish to represent the country at the forthcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“For every player, the World Cup is seen as the best place you can ever get to in terms of football,” Ayunga told the Daily Record back in December 2022 during the Qatar edition.
“You never know. You have to dream big. Hopefully we can get there too one day."
With these crucial fixtures on the horizon, Kenya will be hoping for positive news regarding Ayunga’s recovery as they aim for a strong start under their new head coach.
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