Michael Olunga makes debut for new club

It is official, Kenyan international Michael ‘Engineer’ Olunga is a Al-Duhail player after being named in the team's starting line-up to face Xavi Hernandez’s Al-Sadd in a crucial Qatar Stars League match away on Tuesday.

Olunga is back in action straight from joining the club just eight days after he played his last match for Kashiwa Reysol in 2020 J1 Levain Cup final against FC Tokyo in which Coach Nelsinho’s men were outfoxed 2-1 in front of 24, 000 fans at Japan National Stadium.

The Kenyan international striker, who has been given jersey number 26, goes into this match with high expectations from his new employers after emerging Japan’s Golden Boot winner and Player of the Year in 2020.

Details of his transfer have not been clear, but football-tribe.com said the 26-year-old has put pen to paper on a four-year deal with the Qatari champions.

The website claimed that Al-Duhail will part with a transfer fee of Euros 7 million (Sh933 million) to acquire the services of the 2020 J1 League Player of the Year and Golden Boot winner. A transfer fee of Euros 6 million (Sh800 million) was also been talked about.

“If we get maximum points from this match, the probability of winning the league will be very high,” the Spaniard told a press conference on Tuesday ahead of the top-of-the-table clash.

Al-Sadd tops the 12-team league with 35 points from 13 matches, eight points ahead of Al-Duhail.  

Al-Duhail squad:

S.Zakaria (GK), Benatia, A. Yasser, Ismail M., Luiz Martin, S. Albrake, Ali Karimi, Olunga, Dudu; Subs – Khalifa (GK); M. Moussa, Ali Malolah, Bassam, Alahrak, Khaled. M, Muntari.