Ryan Ogam shoulders Kenya’s hopes ahead of CHAN

Ogam, who chalked up 15 goals in an injury-marred season that saw him play just 13 matches, will be vital to Harambee Stars’ prospects at the championship that will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

Kenya will debut the championship, which is exclusively organised for local based players, in Group ‘A’ against DR Congo, Morocco, Angola, and Zambia.

Speaking during the team’s training session at Kasarani on Thursday, McCarthy praised Ogam’s sharp instincts, work ethic, and composure in front of goal, comparing his style to Michael Olunga’s.

“With the right guidance and continued development, I believe one day he might be the next Olunga and he also has the ability to play in Europe.” said McCarthy

Ogam, who joined Tusker at the start of the 2024/25 FKF Premier League season, hit the ground running by netting 15 goals in just 13 matches before injury put brakes on his charge as immediate Kakamega Homeboyz striker Moses Shumah surged to win the FKF-PL Golden Boot with 17 goals.

With Kenya missing top scorers Shummah and Emmanuel Osoro, who finished the season on 16 goals before sealing moves to Power Dynamos in Zambia, all eyes will be on Ogam to lead the Stars frontline during the month-long tournament.

Despite the injury setback, McCarthy lauded his resilience, saying: “Even with the injury he had, Ryan is still a very capable player with great ability and he knows where the goals are and he’s a player I will always reward.”

McCarthy, a former prolific striker himself, challenged the left-footed Ogam to sharpen his weaker right foot to become even more unpredictable.

“He’s very explosive but he’s very left footed but I told him I also need to work on his right foot to make him a little bit unpredictable.”

The coach remains confident in Ogam’s ability to shoulder the pressure, saying, “He’s hungry. He’s focused. If he achieves his target at CHAN, it will soften the blow of losing our top forwards.”

The national team is currently in camp as they prepare to face DR Congo in the opening match on August 3 at Kasarani Stadium before taking on Angola on August 7 from 7:00pm.

The Kenyans will then lock horns with former champions Morocco on August10 - a match that will kick-off at 3:00pm.

The last group stage fixture will see Harambee Stars battle Zambia on August 17 starting 3:00pm, hoping to finish among the best two and progress into the knockouts.