Charles Nyende
3 September 2008
Nairobi — Kenya Premier League top scorer last season Allan Wanga gets another chance to break his duck in the World Cup/Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers when Kenya play Namibia at Kasarani on Saturday.
This time, the focus on his boots will be doubly intense.
The Petro Atletico (Angola) striker has yet to score a goal in the four qualifying matches played so far and will be expected to lead in the goal hunt in the absence of Dennis Oliech, who is suspended after picking two yellow cards.
Wanga won the KPL golden boot award with 19 goals for Tusker in the 2006/2007 season and also top scored for Harambee Stars with three strikes in last year's Cecafa Senior Challenge Cup.
But the goal-poaching Wanga has gone through a drought since the qualifiers begun in May and he needs no reminder on the primary duty of a striker.
"Of course I am not happy that I have not scored. I really want to work hard and open my account on Saturday against Namibia," the soft-spoken 22-year-old striker said.
Harambee Stars coach Francis Kimanzi has utilised Wanga as his third choice striker after Oliech and Patrick Oboya in his preferred 4-4-2 system.
Wanga has started all the games off the bench, but may very well secure his first starting position on Saturday as likely partner to Oboya.
That thought, surely, has crossed his mind but he is too much of a gentleman to publicly voice it.
"We have capable strikers to ensure we fill the void left by Oliech and to contribute to the winning of the team," he said
The striking options available to Kimanzi against Namibia are Wanga, Oboya, Francis Ouma and Francis Chinjili.
A statistical point to ponder for Stars is that non of the above have rocked the 2010 qualifier net.
Of the five goals scored by Kenya in this campaign, Oliech has accounted for three goals and midfielders Macdonald Mariga and Austine Makacha one each.
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