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The former Gor Mahia man was in impeccable form as Al Duhail sailed to a comfortable 5-1 win over Al Saad on Saturday night.
Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga kept up his red-hot form in the Qatar Stars League on Saturday, finding the back of the net as his side, Al Duhail, steamrolled past Al Sadd with a resounding 5-1 victory.
The prolific striker registered his fourth goal of the campaign, marking another solid performance that included two shots on target, one crucial pass, and a 100% success rate in aerial duels. Olunga, who was substituted in the 85th minute, played a vital role in ensuring his team’s dominant display.
In his second consecutive start since recovering from injury, Olunga quickly made amends for an early penalty miss in the 7th minute. Six minutes later, the Kenyan international opened the scoring with a clinical right-footed shot from inside the penalty area, beating the goalkeeper and giving Al Duhail the lead.
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13:23 - 21.09.2024
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Olunga's impact extended beyond his goal, as he was heavily involved in Al Duhail's second strike. In the 28th minute, a quick and precise pass from Olunga reached Benjamin Bourigeaud, who then assisted Edmilson Junior. The Brazilian winger rifled the ball home from the left side of the box, doubling the team’s advantage.
Al Duhail continued to dominate proceedings, and Edmilson turned provider as he set up Homam Ahmed for the third goal. Edmilson capped off a superb first half for the team by scoring his second and the team’s fourth goal in the 40th minute.
Al Sadd’s Hassan Al Haydos managed to pull one back before halftime, but it did little to dent Al Duhail’s control of the game, as they went into the break leading 4-1.
In the second half, Al Duhail maintained their high tempo, and their relentless attack paid off again when Karim Boudiaf provided the assist for Almoez Ali, who netted the fifth goal. Olunga, after a standout performance, was substituted for Rashid Abdulla in the 85th minute as Al Duhail comfortably saw out the match.
The win solidified Al Duhail’s position at the top of the table with a perfect 15 points from their opening five games. Olunga, who previously claimed the Qatar Stars League Golden Boot two seasons ago, is once again in the running for the coveted award.
His form bodes well not only for his club but also for Kenya’s national team, with crucial 2025 AFCON qualifiers against Cameroon on the horizon. Kenya is eager to return to the tournament, having missed out since their 2019 appearance.
In Norway, another Kenyan striker, Alfred Scriven, was in action for second-division side Bryne FK. Scriven played 45 minutes in their 1-1 draw against Valerenga, contributing to a hard-fought point for his team.
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07:40 - 21.09.2024
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