Engin Firat's Delight: Kenya's new gem - Rooney Onyango

“I'm happy we won one more player.”

Those were the closing comments by Harambee Stars head coach Engin Firat while making his assessments on one of the big positives from Kenya’s 2-2 draw with Russia; the last of this year’s friendly games staged at the Mardan Titanic Sports Complex in Antalya, Turkey.

Called up for the first time to the national team fold on Sunday 15 October, Gor Mahia right back Rooney Onyango was immediately thrown into the fray on Monday night, and earned his cap as a starter.

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As if that was not all for one of the two Kenyan new boys (Vincent Harper was the other new name on the Harambee Stars squad who didn’t clock a minute), the former Wazito FC player was asked to play further forward on the right side of a five man midfield, and ended up putting up one of his best tapes.

He did it all for all the 86 minutes he was entrusted to play, hugging the touchline so expertly, tracking back to bail out the right back Amos Nondi - who was in a fierce battle with winger Maksim Mukhin - and was the man who also opened up channels and delivered crosses from an offensive position.

For a nation that had lacked an exciting prospect in recent years, bar Daniel Anyembe who couldn’t be released in time for this fixture, Onyango surely left many impressed by his work of graft.

“Worked out well,” Firat said post-game when asked about his decision to field Onyango. “Like I said, if somebody is working well and really deserves to play, he will play.

“And that’s what happened with him [Onyango].”

Joining Kenya’s record Premier League champions early this season from a stint with United Arab Emirates side Elite Falcons, Onyango, 22, has had an impressive start to the 2023-24 season; starting and cementing his place in K’Ogalo while also scoring a goal.

His effort didn’t go unnoticed by Firat as he said: “He is somebody who is not pushed by the media or people. He is a footballer who only concentrates on his football.

“He has a good potential and is ready to work on it. Happy that we won one more player.”

That one game could end up being a big blessing to the former Thika United player, with his place in Kenya’s squad in November’s twin 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifying match-ups looking inevitable.

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