Nairobi City Stars will host league leaders Tusker FC in a round 16 Premier League tie at Utalii grounds on Saturday 20 March 2021 starting 1pm.
It will be premier league game no. 25 between the two since October 2004, and the first since October 2016, when the action is called on Saturday afternoon.
From the previous overall matches, Tusker calls the shots having won 14 of the 24 past games. City Stars has won five and the other five have ended in draws.
City Stars home games
Broken down, in games hosted by City Stars, wins for Tusker are eight, two for City Stars and two are draws.
City Stars (then World Hope) first hosted Tusker back in February 2005 at City Stadium and lost 1-0.
The last game was back in February 2016 at Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos, that City Stars lost 2-1 from goals by Ekaliana Ndolo and Humphrey Mieno that cancelled out a Eugene Asike own goal.
Only one scoreless game
In the previous 24 games, Tusker FC has outscored Simba wa Nairobi 33 goals to 21.
Interestingly, 23 out of the 24 games have had goals, and only once on 21 March 2008 at Hope Centre did a game end scoreless, in a 0-0 draw.
Top scorer
With a brace each in identical 3-2 wins in September 2009 and September 2013, Collins Tiego and Bruno Sserunkuma are the top scorers for City Stars against Tusker since 2008.
They are joined by Dan Sserunkuma who scored consolation goals in identical 2-1 losses in 2011 and 2012.
With a brace in a 2-1 win in 2015, Jesse Were is Tusker’s top marksman over City Stars since 2008.
Were ties with Ekaliana Ndolo and Khalid Aucho who scored a goal apiece in two separate games.
Never at Utalii
Though the games have been many over the years, City Stars and Tusker have never faced off at Utalii Grounds. It’s an unfamiliar ground.
City Stars had hosted the previous 12 games at City Stadium and Hope centre five times a piece, and once each at Nyayo Stadium and Kenyatta Stadium, Machakos.
Coach
In the upcoming game, City Stars head coach Sanjin Alagic from Bosnia is angling for his first ever game against Tusker.
He will be coming up against former City Stars coach Robert Matano, a master of the local game, who was in charge of the Kawangware-founded team from late 2004 through to late 2007.
Zedekiah Zico Otieno was in charge of the first ever game between the two back in 2004 before Matano took charge of the next five from 2005 to 2007.
John Bobby Ogola handled two games in 2008, and once in 2016, German Oliver Page one in 2009 then Ken Odhiambo four from 2009 to 2011.
Gideon Ochieng (1 game), Gambian Bai Malleh Wadda (2), Dutchman Jan Koops (1), Briton Tim Bryet (1), Nigerian Robinson Ndubuisi (1), Ugandan Paul Nkata (1), Gabriel Njoroge (1) and Ugandan Richard Tamale Pinto (1) were the other coaches to take charge of City Stars against Tusker
Form
Headed to the game, Tusker carries a win (1-0) over Ulinzi Stars as City Stars is reeling from the same margin loss to AFC Leopards in games played two weeks back.
As Tusker recovered from a shock 2-1 loss to newbies Bidco United in the previous game to claw Ulinzi, City Stars loss marked the end of a three-game winning streak over Zoo, Western Stima and Mathare United.
Summary
KPL games: 24 – Tusker (14 wins), City Stars (5 wins), Draws (5)
City Stars home games Vs Tusker
26-Feb-05: World Hope vs Tusker, City Stadium, 0-1 (L)
25-Mar-06: World Hope vs Tusker, City Stadium, 1-3 (L)
29-Oct-06: World Hope vs Tusker, Hope Centre, 1-0 (W)
21-Mar-08: World Hope vs Tusker, Hope Centre, 0-0 (D)
12-Sep-09: City Stars vs Tusker, Hope Centre, 3-2 (W)
19-Sep-10: City Stars vs Tusker, City Stadium, 2-2 (D)
14-May-11: City Stars vs Tusker, Hope Centre, 0-1 (L)
10-Nov-12: City Stars vs Tusker, Hope Centre, 0-3 (L)
1-May-13: City Stars vs Tusker, City Stadium, 0-1 (L)
21-May-14: City Stars vs Tusker, City Stadium, 0-1 (L)
29-Mar-15: City Stars vs Tusker, Nyayo Stadium, 1-2 (L)
27-Feb-16: City Stars vs Tusker, Kenyatta Stadium, 1-2 (L)
20-Mar-21: City Stars vs Tusker, Utalii grounds, ??