Al Duhail head coach Christopher Galtier has confirmed that Harambee Stars striker Michael Olunga will be available for the club’s upcoming league match against Al Wakrah on Saturday.This announcement comes just days after Olunga missed two of Kenya’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Zimbabwe and Namibia, during which Harambee Stars collected four points, taking control of Group J.Kenya’s head coach, Engin Firat, had previously ruled Olunga out of the qualifiers due to an injury sustained while playing for Duhail in the Qatar Stars League.##NAJAVA_MECA_8333866##Firat commented on Olunga’s condition before the Zimbabwe match, stating, “Michael (Olunga) has a low chance (to play), he will come for an MRI, but as I said, it is a low chance to play. We have already lost a lot of players (to injuries), but we need to find solutions.”Olunga’s last appearance for Duhail came on Saturday 10 August in a 6-1 victory over Qatar SC, where he delivered a stellar performance, scoring a hat-trick with goals in the 41st, 44th, and 96th minutes.However, he picked up an injury during the match and subsequently missed two league games against Al Rayyan on Friday 16 August and Umm-Salal on Thursday 22 August.Ghost Mulee fires back at Engin Firat over Harambee Stars criticismHe was also absent for Duhail’s 2-1 win against Qatar SC in the Qatar Stars Cup on Friday 30 August.During a press conference at Al Duhail’s club headquarters, Galtier—who formerly managed Paris Saint Germain—revealed that the international break had been beneficial in Olunga’s recovery.”The international break helped us prepare Michael Olunga from injury, as he became ready to participate in the matches. It also allowed me to assess the level of many players and use some young elements in the QSL Cup matches,” Galtier said on the club’s website.Discussing the upcoming match, Galtier noted, “The match comes after a long break in the league due to the international fixtures, which saw many of our players join their national teams. We are now working to get our players refocused for the game against Al Wakrah.”EXCLUSIVE: Adagala speaks on Muhoroni Stadium’s ‘bad’ reputation, relegation and season’s plansOlunga’s return not only boosts Al Duhail but also provides a timely advantage for Kenya’s national team ahead of the October international window.His absence was evident during Kenya’s 0-0 draw against Zimbabwe, where the team struggled in attack. Firat turned to Jonah Ayunga and John Avire in the match against Namibia, which saw Kenya secure a vital 2-1 win.
