Michael Olunga: Harambee Stars captain inching closer to becoming Kenya's all-time top scorer

Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga celebrates one of his two goals against Malawi. Photo: FKF Media.

FOOTBALL Michael Olunga: Harambee Stars captain inching closer to becoming Kenya's all-time top scorer

Joel Omotto 05:30 - 25.03.2024

Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga’s two goals against Malawi on Saturday has put him on a good path to becoming Kenya’s all-time top scorer.

Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga is now 10 goals away from becoming the country’s leading scorer following his brace in Saturday’s 4-0 thrashing of Malawi at the Four Nations tournament.

Olunga scored a quickfire double as Kenya raced to a 2-0 lead inside four minutes before Ayub Timbe and John Avire added further gloss on the score line in Lilongwe.

The two goals took Olunga’s tally for the national team to 26 from 57 appearances and saw him overtake legendary Joe Kadenge, who managed 25 in 63 appearances, from 1957-1970.

Olunga is now level with Livingstone Madegwa, who featured 49 times for Harambee Stars between 1964 and 1972, and Ali Kajo, the former Feisal forward who made 32 appearances in national team colours, from 1959-1969.

The Al Duhail forward will now be targeting the record of the country’s most lethal forward Elijah Lidonde, the AFC Leopards legend, who banged in 33 goals in only 26 appearances for Harambee Stars between 1950 and 1961.

Next on his radar will be legendary Dennis ‘The menace’ Oliech, who scored 34 goals in 76 games, and made a huge impact on the team from 2002-2015, including scoring crucial goas as Kenya sealed their ticket to the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations.

Oliech’s tally is one short of Kenya’s top marksman and Gor Mahia legend William ‘Chege’ Ouma, whose 35 goals were scored in 66 games between 1965 and 1977.

At 29, Olunga has plenty of time to match the country’s leading scorers and surplus them as long as he remains consistent.

His two goals in Lilongwe was the second straight game in which he was netting twice after his double against Seychelles in the 2026 World Cup qualifier in November and he can get closer to or beyond the 30-goal mark by the end of the year if he maintains his form.

Olunga would have been on the shoulders of Lidonde, Oliech and Ouma by now had he not experienced a six-game goal drought since his goal against Iran in March 2023 until the two past Seychelles in November, but with Zimbabwe next on Tuesday before the World Cup qualifiers against Burundi and Ivory Coast in June, he has an opportunity to right those wrongs this year.

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