Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga is doubtful for tomorrow’s AFCON qualifier against Cameroon due to a hamstring issue, coach Engin Firat confirmed during his pre-match press conference at Namboole Stadium, Uganda.Kenya is set to host the Indomitable Lions in the return leg of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers on Monday, having been forced to play in Uganda due to the lack of a CAF-approved stadium in the country.In the first leg held in Douala, Cameroon, on Friday, Kenya suffered a 4-1 defeat, and Firat’s side will be looking to bounce back against the five-time African champions. Olunga scored Kenya’s consolation goal##NAJAVA_MECA_8405939##However, Kenya’s preparations have been disrupted by the uncertainty over Olunga’s fitness. The star striker, who addressed the media on Sunday, might miss the crucial match.Firat revealed that Olunga would not participate in the team’s final training session due to his hamstring injury, casting doubt on his availability.”We have a serious issue with Olunga. He can only manage light warm-ups due to his hamstring problem. I will have to make a last-minute decision tomorrow as there are many uncertainties,” said the Turkish coach.’Spare Matasi the blame’ – Wilson Oburu tells Harambee Stars fansOn Friday, defenders Johnstone Omurwa and Alphonce Omija were sidelined by injury, while Joseph Okumu was introduced at halftime. Firat acknowledged that the players are still not fully fit but could be involved on Monday.”We didn’t want to play Okumu because of his injury, and Omija and Omurwa are still not 100%. However, there’s a chance they could return for the match,” Firat added.Harambee Stars head coach admits boisterous Cameroon fans played part in defeatThe coach also expressed frustration about Kenya’s ongoing need to play home matches outside the country, noting how it hampers both the national team and African football development as a whole.”In our group, Kenya is the only team playing away from home. It’s a missed opportunity for us to play in front of our fans. This is a widespread issue in Africa. If we want to compete in the World Cup, we shouldn’t be talking about infrastructure problems like these. Every country should be able to play on home soil.”Tomorrow’s match kicks off at 4 p.m.
