- Michael Olunga found the back of the net in Harambee Stars’ 2-1 defeat against Gabon.
- The strike took his tally to 32 goals since making his first appearance for Harambee Stars.
- Only three players have scored more goals for Kenya than Olunga in Kenya’s football history.
Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga reached an incredible milestone in Kenya’s 1-2 defeat against Gabon in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier played on Sunday.
Kenya, who missed some of their important players including Stade de Reims defender Joseph Okumu in that match, were stunned by two well-taken goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, with Olunga’s goal proving to be mere consolation for the team and the thousands of fans who attended the clash.
Despite the defeat, the match was a memorable one for Olunga since it helped him move a step closer to becoming Harambee Stars’ all-time top scorer.
The former Gor Mahia player has now netted a total of 32 goals since making his first appearance for Harambee Stars in 2015 in a friendly match against the Seychelles.
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Who is the all-time Harambee Stars topscorer?
Olunga’s 32 goals makes him the fourth leading scorer in Kenya’s history behind William Ouma, Dennis Oliech and Elijah Lidonde.
Ouma, who made 66 appearances for the Kenya men’s national team, leads the goal-scoring chart with an impressive 35 goals.
The ex-AFC Leopards goal machine is followed by Dennis “The Menace” Oliech who boasts of 34 goals in 79 appearances while Lidonde sits third with 33 goals.
The interesting thing about Lidonde is the fact that he only played 26 matches for the Harambee Stars, an indication that his tally could have been higher had he made more appearances for the national team.
Lidonde is followed by Olunga with the latter expected to outscore him in the near future since he still has more opportunities to play for Kenya.
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Top four Harambee Stars’ all-time top scorers
- William Ouma: 35 goals
- Dennis Oliech: 34 goals
- Elijah Lidonde: 33 goals
- Michael Olunga: 32 goals
Olunga thanks Harambee Stars fans for the support
Olunga, who has netted two goals during the just concluded March international break, appreciated the love he and his teammates received in Harambee Stars’ first match at home since 2021.
“Thank you Kenyans for turning out in large numbers to support the Harambee Stars. Despite the results (2-1) the team fought hard with resilience.
I want to extend all my gratitude to everyone who made it a success. Thank you so much to the 12th man. One Love Kenya,” he stated.
The powerful forward also promised to continue working hard to ensure Harambee Stars achieve success in the upcoming games.
Harambee Stars coach describes the atmosphere as the best ever
Similar to Olunga, Harambee Stars head coach Benni McCarthy was also happy for the support the team received on Sunday.
McCarthy described the experience as one of the best in his football career and urged other African countries to emulate it.
“We are grateful for the support. The people of Kenya that came out to support, wow! This was the most memorable experience I have experienced even in my time playing as a player, playing in Europe. This is what Africa should be about.
It was just beautiful, but unfortunately, we couldn’t give the fans that joy to give them a win. Something to celebrate. But, what we can promise is, we will improve, get better and they will have a team that they can be proud of,” McCarthy explained during the post-match press conference.
