Al Duhail’s Michael Olunga poses with the Qatar Cup trophy the Red Knights won on April 6, 2023 after beating Al Sadd in the final.
Leading QNB Stars League (QSL) scorer Michael Olunga is fully committed to bringing the Falcon Shield to Al Duhail as the season comes close to a thrilling finish.
Al Duhail last won the league in 2020 but currently leads the QSL standings with 42 points from 17 games, with a game in hand on second-placed Al Arabi, who are on 40 points. The Red Knights take on Al Gharafa today at the Al Gharafa Stadium.
The Kenyan star, who finished last year as the top goalscorer with 24 goals to clinch the Mansour Muftah award, said he’d prefer to end the season with the Shield rather than concentrate on individual accolades but noted it’d be a bonus to have both.
Olunga shrugged off any hangover from Al Duhail’s shock loss to league strugglers Al Sailiya in the Amir Cup quarter-final, crushing their hopes of finishing the season with a quadruple.
“It’s football. Sometimes it happens, and a penalty shootout is nobody’s game. As much as we wanted to win, we didn’t manage to, so we just put it behind us. We have the league to focus on, and if we can manage to take it, it will be three trophies for the season. That will be amazing,” the striker said on the sidelines of an event to announce the signing of a partnership between Ooredoo and Al Duhail.
“The important thing is to look at the team’s collective efforts. So, I will look at how I can help my team become champions because we didn’t become champions in the last two years. I will feel much more proud to have the QSL title than the top scorer title,” he added.
With much expected of the forward, who has 14 goals so far in the league, he stressed that he remains happy at the club and understands the responsibility of his position. He said the trust from management, the club and the fans have helped him adapt to the demands of the QSL.
“When you play for a big team like Al Duhail, they expect you to become among the best scorers, if not the best. With big responsibilities come big players as well. You have to take responsibility, and that’s what I’m trying to do for Al Duhail,” he said.
Asked about playing in Europe again after two earlier spells with Danish side Djurgårdens and Spain’s Girona, Olunga said, “The only thing I can think of is scoring goals for Al Duhail. That is my main priority.”
Since signing for the QSL top side in 2021, the 29-year-old Olunga has won the Amir Cup title, Qatar Cup and Ooredoo Cup, with just the QSL left from his trophy cabinet. With Hernan Crespo at the helm, Al Duhail has lost once this season – but the seven-time QSL champions have the meanest defence, conceding 15 goals.
They, however, have some tough fixtures ahead, with a must-win against rivals Al Sadd in the penultimate game of the season and a rescheduled match against Al Rayyan on April 18.
