Harambee Stars captain Michael Olunga delivered a standout performance as Al Duhail secured a commanding 3-1 win against Qatar Stars League frontrunners Al Sadd on Friday night.
Olunga played a pivotal role in Al Duhail’s triumph over the league leaders, contributing a goal and an assist that evening.
After Almoez Ali’s goal at the 40th minute put Christophe Galtier’s squad in the lead, Akraf Afif equalized for Al Sadd. Olunga then put Al Duhail back in front, and Sultan Al Breik sealed the victory.
Ali initiated the scoring with a powerful strike following a rapid counter-attack, giving Al Duhail the edge just before the halftime break. However, Al Sadd quickly responded with an equalizer from Afif as halftime approached. Returning from the break with renewed energy, Olunga and Ali synergized to score Al Duhail’s second goal. Another swift counter led Ali to assist the Kenyan international, who found the net 57 minutes into the game.
The goal energized Al Duhail as they intensified their efforts against the league leaders, who struggled at Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha.
Olunga’s influence was evident again in the 62nd minute, providing an assist to Sultan Al-Breik, who scored with a left-wing shot, further extending their lead. Following the victory, Olunga expressed his satisfaction on social media, celebrating the goal, assist, and the three points gained.
This defeat was only the second for Al Sadd, who remain favorites to win back the title from Al Duhail, now celebrating their seventh win of the season. This victory places them sixth in the standings with 25 points, 18 points behind Al Sadd.
Olunga has scored 13 league goals this season, trailing the league’s top scorer, Yacine Brahimi of Al Gharafa, by five goals. Al Duhail’s season has been marked by inconsistency, with this win being only their second league victory in 2024 and their third across all competitions since the start of the year.
The team particularly felt the absence of Olunga, who was sidelined for two months with a knee injury, during which Al Duhail did not win any of their five matches.
