Former Kenya international striker Dennis Oliech has by far been Kenya’s most exciting talent in the history of Kenyan football courtesy of his exploits for the country and the several clubs he played for.
His exploits are far-reaching and it is only fair to compare him with Africa’s finest.
His breakthrough tournament was, of course, the 2002 CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup that was held in Tanzania.
Oliech was just 17 at the time but would go on to score 5 goals that would be enough to win him the golden boot for the tournament.
He was entirely played as a second string striker with coach Jacob Ghost Mulee preferring to use the old guard more.
That, however, did not prevent the dazzling teenager from making it he hit five goals, all of which were scored from the bench.
That record still stands to date and is the only one for the history of the tournament as no player has ever been the top scorer of the tournament while getting his goals off the bench.
He was also on the scoresheet in the 3-2 final win against hosts Tanzania in the final to affirm his credentials as a top game player having also achieved a nearly similar feat when turning out for Kenya Premier League side Mathare United.
His first goal of the tournament came in the 45th minute of Kenya’s second match of the tournament against Burundi.
The match finished 1-1 after Kenya failed to device a winning formula having been pegged back by Irambona Abdallah’s 75th-minute penalty.
The dazzling forward would then score a brace in Kenya’s third match against Eritrea taking his tally to three.
Kenya won the fixture by 4-1.
In the quarter-final, it is fair to say that he saved Kenya from an onslaught by an excellent Sudanese side when he hit the back of the net in the 75th minute, a goal that would be the eventual decider of the tie.
He wasn’t on the score sheet in the semi-final against Uganda despite also featuring, as a substitute again when he came on for Francis Chinjili.
In the memorable final against Tanzania, he scored a winner in the 72nd minute to deliver the glory to Kenya with the tie having been tied at 2-2.
The Kenyan striker would gain recognition and go on to play for a number of European clubs most notably Auxerre for which he features in the Champions League against the likes of Real Madrid, AC Milan, and Ajax Amsterdam.
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