Olunga joined Reysol after a season-long loan stint with Spanish top tier side FC Girona.
NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 26 – Harambee Stars trio Michael Olunga, David ‘Cheche’ Ochieng and Eric Johannah endured heartbreaking relegation over the weekend after their respective clubs suffered the chop from the top tier leagues.
Olunga’s Japanese club Kashiwa Reysol was relegated from the J-1 league while Ochieng and Johannah’s Swedish club IF Bromma were axed from the Swedish top tier.
Reysol’s relegation from the J-1 League was confirmed after their competitors Shonan Bellmare, Sagan Tosu and Nagoya Grampus all won their penultimate games of the season to move to 40 points, creating an unassailable four point lead with one match left.
“It is tough because everyone wants to play in the top league, but we will work hard to bounce back. I know I will bounce back in a big way,” Olunga told Capital Sport.
The striker could not do much to aid Reysol’s campaign to avoid the chop having joined them in August and in that period has managed to play in 10 games and scored three goals with an equal number of assists for the club.
He joined Reysol after a season-long loan stint with Spanish top tier side FC Girona.
Harambee Stars midfielder Eric Johana was once named the best player of the month for his IF Brommapojkarna club. Photo/COURTESY
Meanwhile, Omondi and Ochieng were relegated with Bromma, a club that was just promoted from the second tier at the beginning of the season.
Bromma lost the relegation and promotion play-off on goal difference to second tier side AFC Ekilstuna after a 2-2 draw on aggregate in the two-legged play-off.
They had won the first leg 1-0 away from home, but ended up losing the second leg 2-1 at home.
“It has been a tough season and seeing it end this way is not kind enough. We will fight to get back on top,” Ochieng said.
The two Kenyans joined the club at the beginning of the season with Ochieng coming from third tier side Vassalund IF while Ochieng was signed from USA National Soccer League side New York Cosmos.
Ochieng played 13 times for Bromma, 10 of them being starts while Omondi featured in 25 games, 17 of them being starts and scored two goals.
