Kenya international Michael Olunga missed out on the Best Player of the Season award in the just concluded Qatar Stars League season.
The towering Harambee Stars forward was nominated for the award alongside Al Sadd winger Akram Afif and Tunisia international Msakni, who features for Al Arabi, on loan from Al-Duhail.
However, during the Qatar Football Association’s Awards ceremony to recognise the top performers of the 2022-23 season that was held at the Qatar National Convention Centre on Sunday, Msakni was named the best player while his coach Younes Ali scooped the best coach honours.
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Olunga’s coach Hernan Crespo and Al Wakrah’s Marquez Lopez were also shortlisted for the Best Coach Award. Olunga enjoyed a good season, finding the back of the net 22 times to retain the Golden Boot Award ahead of Al Arabi striker Omar Al Somah, who managed 19 goals.
Though the former Gor Mahia striker was snubbed for the Best Player award, he was handed the coveted Mansour Muftah Award for top scorer for the second consecutive year.
Last season, Olunga clinched the Golden Boot ahead of Al Sadd and Ghana international Andre Ayew after notching 24 goals from 22 appearances while in his first season at Duhail, he featured for only nine matches and scored six goals.
Olunga, who helped the Red Knights to lift the league title, the Ooredoo Cup, and Qatar Cup besides the Falcon Shield, has promised to bag a hat-trick of awards next season.
“I want to thank Omar Al Somah [Al Arabi] and Gelson Dala [Al Wakrah] to make it a tough competition [for the top scorer award] for me. It helped me to help Al Duhail win three trophies,” Olunga said as quoted by The Peninsula.
“I also want to thank my coach Hernan [Crespo] for always believing in me to lead the team’s attack. I hope to bag a hat-trick of this award next year.”
Olunga’s Duhail won the league title after amassing 51 points from 22 matches, two more than second-placed Al Arabi while former champions Al Sadd finished third with 44 points.