Job Ochieng Injury Blow Clouds Harambee Stars Return
Job Ochieng’s hot streak has been brought to a sudden stop — and nobody knows when he will be back.
The 23-year-old Harambee Stars winger pulled up with a muscular injury to the back of his left thigh just 42 minutes into Kenya’s FIFA Series friendly against Estonia on March 27. Real Sociedad B, his Spanish club, confirmed the injury on March 31, issuing a statement that offered little comfort: “His return to the team will depend on the progress of his recovery process.”
The timing stings. Ochieng had scored six goals in his last six club appearances before the setback — the kind of form that had Kenyan football fans dreaming big ahead of AFCON 2027.
Coach Benni McCarthy tried to keep things calm. “It’s nothing serious, just a little rest and a lay-off,” he said. But Real Sociedad’s official communication told a different story. No timeline. No expected return date.
If Ochieng misses more than 28 consecutive days, Real Sociedad B may qualify for FIFA Club Protection Programme compensation of up to €7.5 million. That detail alone tells you this is not a minor knock.
For Harambee Stars, losing their most in-form winger at the start of a big year is a blow they could have done without.