The fitter, stronger and hungrier Olunga is ready to surpass Onana

NAIROBI, Kenya (Reuters) – Captain Michael Olunga hopes he can maintain his momentum for the national team after returning from injury as Kenya's Harambee Stars prepare to play in a two-part 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier (AFCON) to face the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon.

Olunga missed the first two games due to a hamstring injury but returned in full swing, scoring again in his first three games for his Qatari club Al Duhail.

“It was a really difficult time for me because I started the league very well, then I had to miss it due to injury. But now I'm fully fit again and it gives me more confidence that I've scored in back-to-back games. I hope I can compete at the same level in the national team, but the most important thing for me is to ensure unity in the national team in these two games,” said the captain.

Olunga is expected to lead the Kenyan attack line against the Cameroonians, who will be led in defense by Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana, who has kept four clean sheets for his English Premier League club so far this season.

Expect a difficult game against Cameroon

The captain expects a difficult game against the Indomitable Lions but has prepared his team to qualify and give their best for next year's AFCON in Morocco.

“Cameroon is a strong team and everyone knows their football history. Like them, we have four points and now we have six left to play. We are determined to get a good result and start away. The boys are motivated and well prepared and I believe we will achieve something positive,” said Olunga.

The first leg will be played on Friday evening at the Stade Omnisports Ahmadou Ahidjo in the capital Yaoundé, with the second leg scheduled for Monday evening at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Kampala, Uganda.

Olunga is not the only returnee in the squad, defender Daniel Anyembe is also back after missing the first two games. The team is also bolstered by the availability of defender Joseph Okumu, who has not played since the game against Namibia last month due to an abductor injury.

It's nice that the players are back

“It's nice to see that most of our players have recovered. It's been a long time since we had a full squad and I believe we are strong now. But we have seen in the games of the last month that all the players who are called up are capable of performing and that shows how strong we are as a team,” Olunga noted.

He adds; “We have built a good team with a lot of self-confidence. We haven’t lost in the last seven months, we work very well together and are ready for the competition.”

At the same time, Olunga asked Kenyans to support them for the two games against Cameroon, saying the negative attitude towards the team, especially after the opening game against Zimbabwe last month, was not positive for their motivation.

“We need the support of Kenyans and the negative conversations are not helping. It takes time to build a team and get results and I would urge them (fans) to be patient with us,” the captain said.