Harambee Stars striker Michael Olunga speaks on Cape Verde experience

Harambee Stars striker Michael Olunga speaks on Cape Verde experience

Harambee Stars striker Michael Olunga has attributed their loss to Cape Verde to fatigue saying their best was not good enough to beat Cape Verde in the match played at Estadio National do Cabo Verde on Tuesday.

Speaking after the team arrived from Cape Verde Thursday afternoon, Olunga said they found it hard to settle into the match and play their game having arrived only three hours to the match.

Olunga’s sentiments come a day after striker Jacob Kelly took to social media to express his disappointment with the trip to Cape Verde.

In his Facebook post on Wednesday, Kelly said the team survived on juice and biscuit during their 22 hour flight to Cape Verde.

Harambee Stars, who only needed a draw to qualify for the group stages of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, were bundled out of the competition after losing 2-0 to Cape Verde.

The team fell to a Heldon Ramos double, one in the dying minutes of the first half and the second in the second half in one of the most uninspired performances of recent times.

Harambee Stars had been expected in the country Thursday morning, aboard the chartered plane they travelled in to Cape Verde, but their arrival was delayed in unclear circumstances.

The national team’s trip to Cape Verde was marred by complications prompting the trip to be delayed by over 8 hours on Monday.

The team was first unwilling to depart for their return fixture against Cape Verde over unpaid allowances, with some of the international players claiming a refund of the air tickets they purchased to honour the first leg encounter in Nairobi.

After the issue was resolved, the players travelled to Wilson Airport ready to depart for Cape Verde but the trip was delayed after the owner of the airplane demanded payment before the trip.

The turn of events left the team stranded at the airport, with many concerned over whether they will get to Cape Verde and rest ahead of the kickoff slated for 4pm.

Reports indicate that Sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario arrived at the airport later in the evening and facilitated travel arrangements for the team saying he had learned of the situation through the media and social media.

The Kenyan team finally managed to travel, minutes past 7:30pm, following intervention by the government.

The incident had infuriated Kenyans with most football fans calling for the arrest of FKF President Sam Nyamweya over the disorganisation.

FKF President Sam Nyamweya was arrested on Tuesday by flying squad officers at his house in Karen over the mix-up with Harambee Stars travel arrangements experienced on Monday.

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Michael Olunga Harambee Stars Sam Nyamweya

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