Harambee Stars ace marks heroic scoring return in Scotland
By Luke Oluoch, April 5, 2026Harambee Stars and St Mirren striker Jonah Ayunga marked a heroic return to action, helping his club to a 2-0 win over Aberdeen in a Scottish Premiership tie played on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
Ayunga was one of three changes to the starting lineup, taking the place of Dan Nlundulu for his first appearance since February, following a lengthy injury layoff.
He needed only 40 minutes to make his mark, burying a low drive after some excellent work from a teammate to send the visitors in front.
Goal on first start
“Back in the starting lineup and back among the goals. Lovely footwork before a terrific low finish from Jonah Ayunga on his first start since his injury in December,” his club shared in a celebratory message following the striker’s scoring return.
Ayunga’s return to form comes as a major boost for both Harambee Stars and the Paisley club, where his presence is set to add significant firepower to the attack. Ayunga has been a revelation since 2025, scoring crucial goals that helped the club leap from the relegation scrap to the mid-table ranks.
His most memorable contribution came in December, when he scored a dream double to secure a historic 3-1 victory over Glasgow giants Celtic FC.
On the international stage, the 27-year-old has been a key pillar for Kenya during Benni McCarthy’s tenure.
He previously featured in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers under the South African coach, as well as a host of friendly matches.
English-born
Although he was called up for the FIFA Series games, he was ultimately forced to miss out due to a tendon injury.
Born in the United Kingdom to a Kenyan father and an English mother, the striker opted to represent the Kenyan national team. He received his first call-up from coach Stanley Okumbi while on the books at Brighton & Hove Albion. However, he was initially unable to play for the national side as he had not yet secured a Kenyan passport.
“I came here in 2017 and 2018, but the lack of a Kenyan passport then meant I could not play during my first call-up,” Ayunga recalled. “When I came in 2018, we trained well, and I was hoping for my maiden cap, but then the game was called off,” he recounted during an interview with People Daily Sports.