Forward Davis Beast Agesa and stopper Kenedy Vidic Onyango were named to the Team of the Week at the close of the second set of the games in the 2021/22 FKF Premier League that concluded on Sunday 17 October 2021.
Agesa was bullish accounting for a direct assist and second assist that led to goals by Timothy Ouma and Ezekiel Odera in City Stars 2-0 dispatch of promoted Kenya Police at Kasarani on Saturday.
After the game, Agesa – named MVP in the game – was nominated for player of the week
David Agesa is your man of the match after creating two goals for City Stars in their 2-0 win over new entrants Police F.C#FKFPLpic.twitter.com/wUzu8e1yVc
Finally, his time came. After missing out on playtime the entire 2020/21 Premier League season, keeper Jacob Osano’s opportunity to make his top-flight bow arrived on Saturday 16 October 2021 as Nairobi City Stars took on Kenya Police in a second-round FKF Premier League game.
Osano was named ahead of regular starter Stephen Njunge for the Police game to earn his Premier League debut.
And what a debut it was as he kept a clean sheet aiding Nairobi City Stars to a 2-0 win.
“It was a nice feeling since it was my first (premier league) game,”
“Playing with experienced defenders gave me confidence and felt I was not new in the league. Everyone in the team was so supportive and I now look forward to many more games.” said the former Wazito and KCB custodian
Adding his voice to Osano’s debut was team coordinator Samson Otieno;
“He has been really patient and finally his time has come. Imagine featuring in just one game in a year and a half. That is when we were in the NSL (second tier). Hope he can grasp the chance and seek more games across the season.” said Sam
Osano joined Simba wa Nairobi in January 2020 from Nairobi Stima and has been a reserve keeper all through.
Two first-half goals by Timothy Ouma and Ezekiel Odera were enough for Nairobi City Stars to disarm Kenya Police 2-0 at Kasarani Annex on Saturday 16 October 2021.
Two first-half goals by Timothy Ouma and Ezekiel Odera were enough for Nairobi City Stars to disarm Kenya Police 2-0 at Kasarani Annex on Saturday 16 October 2021.
— Official Nairobi City Stars Fc (@NrbCityStars) October 16, 2021
Davis Agesa and Nicholas Kipkirui provided the assists that led to goals in the 18th and 36th minutes.
With the win, City Stars ended a four-game winless streak in the premier league from last season to hand new coach Nicholas Muyoti his maiden Premier League win at Simba wa Nairobi.
Osano debut
In City Stars goal was keeper Jacob Osano who, on his premier league debut, managed a clean sheet.
Osano had been the understudy to Steve Njunge who clocked all 33 games last season, and the season opener against Sofapaka.
First-half
Police made the first statement of the game when, within the first minute, had the ball bounce off the upright after Cliffton Miheso curled a freekick from outside the box.
City Stars had a response 11 minutes later when marauding Davis Beast Agesa got into the box only to fire wide after receiving a through pass from Ezekiel Odera.
Three minutes later he had the ball straight at Police keeper Brian Reuben as Simba wa Nairobi kept prodding the home team.
Just a minute later the pressure counted as Agesa – later named MVP – turned provider with a splitting pass to Timothy Babu Ouma who fired home after skipping past a number of Police players.
David Agesa is your man of the match after creating two goals for City Stars in their 2-0 win over new entrants Police F.C#FKFPLpic.twitter.com/wUzu8e1yVc
His opener on the day was his second straight premier league goal following on his maiden top-flight goal against Sofapaka in the season opener three weeks back.
The goal came after City Stars keeper Jacob Osano, on his premiership debut, stopped Alvin Mangeni’s close-range effort. He then initiated the ball that led to the goal.
Seven minutes after Babu‘s goal, Mangeni fired a ball across the goal as Police looked to level matters early. It flew wide.
Five minutes later, John Mark Makwata, on his Police debut, hammered the side netting off a Miheso corner.
Seven minutes later City Stars doubled the lead when Odera had a rising shot into the net after receiving a placement from Nicholas Kipkirui inside the box. Kipkirui had picked up the ball from Agesa who brought in a cross from the right.
At the stroke of halftime, Makwata skied a ball as Police looked to grab a consolation before the breather.
Second half
At the start of the second half, either side made their first changes. Police benched their towering skipper Okiki Arogo to bring on Charles Ouma as Collins Lusaka came on for Mangeni.
Simba wa Nairobi on their part introduced flyer Rodgers Okuse Okumu for Odera who picked an injury in the first half.
A minute after the restart Kipkirui got to the end of a good pass and fired goalward only for the ball to end up with the keeper.
At the hour mark, thereabout, Okuse did all he needed to do, but while at the penalty area chose to loop past the keeper only for the ball to be cleared before it crossed the line. It was a near-miss that could have turned the scores to a rout.
Police also pulled out imposing offensive player Clinton Kinanga two minutes to the hour mark for known scorer David Oluoch and later on in the 74th minute handed John ‘Softie’ Ndirangu his debut as he replaced injured Leslie Otieno.
But as the changes came for the law enforcers, it is City Stars that looked more dangerous with two attempts from field skipper Anthony Muki Kimani. Twice he fired out a cut back from Ouma then skied a set-piece.
City Stars then ran down the clock with the addition of Erick Jibaba Ombija and Charles Chale Otieno for Agesa – later named man of the match -, and Ouma.
Ombija had a shot on goal late in the game only for it to end up straight at the keeper in what turned out to be the final act of the game.
With the first three points of the season, City Stars flew off the red zone, leaving Police behind, to the top half of the log.
Next up for City Stars is the third season game against Wazito at Thika Stadium on Thursday 21 October 2021 starting 3 pm.
Kenya Police: 31. Juma Reuben, 26. Steve Baraza, 2. Faustine Ojiambo, 6. Bernard Omondi, 14. Aroro Okiki-captain (12. Charles Ouma-46), 3. Silicho Soita, 24. Leslie Otieno (10. John Ndirangu-74), 17. Alvin Mangeni (13. Collins Lusaka-46), 23. Cliffton Miheso, 30. John Mark Makwata, 21. Clinton Kinanga (7. David Oluoch-58)
Nairobi City Stars: 16. Jacob Osano, 19. Kevin Okumu, 4. Salim Abdalla, 25. Kenedy Onyango, 26. Dennis Wanjala, 18. Sven Yidah, 30. Anthony Kimani-captain, 11. Davis Agesa (24. Erick Ombija-78), 17. Nicholas Kipkirui, 20. Timothy Ouma (3. Charles Otieno-84, 32. Ezekiel Odera (7. Rogers Okumu-46)
Unused subs: 23. Stephen Njunge, 8. Calvin Masawa, 5. Mike Madoya, 9. Vincent Otieno Okoth, 2. Elvis Noor Ojiambo, 25. Lennox Ogutu
Coach: Nicholas Muyoti
Yellow cards:
Kenya Police: 30. John Mark Makwata (36), 12. Charles Ouma (55),
Nairobi City Stars: 7. Rodgers Okumu (62), 24. Eric Ombija (80), 18. Sven Yidah (88)
Newly promoted Kenya Police and Nairobi City Stars will face off for the first time ever in the Premier League on Saturday 16 October 2021 at Kasarani Annex starting 3 pm.
Police made a return to the topflight, for their second appearance time since 1981, after finishing second in the National Super League (NSL) accompanying champions FC Talanta.
While it will be the first meeting ever in the topflight, Police and City Stars are not new to each other.
Since dropping down to the second tier in the 2017 season, City Stars and Police have met eight times across four seasons.
City Stars has picked two wins, a double in the 2019/20 season, lost twice, and drawn the other four games.
In away games to Police, the first two games have ended in barren draws while the third, played on 17 April 2019, was later awarded 2-0 to Police after the game was abandoned in the second half due to City Stars protestation of an awarded penalty.
At the point of abandonment, the game was tied 1-1 after David Oluoch canceled out a first-half Ebrima Sanneh’s header after the restart.
Further to the points’ award following a hearing, a City Stars coach, goalkeeper, and defender were slapped with three-month bans for allegedly leading to the abandonment of the game.
The first away game for City Stars was handled by coach Robert Matano while the next two were under coach John Amboko who is currently an assistant coach.
The final one, the 3-2 win, was under Bosnian Sanjin Alagic.
The historic clash on Saturday evening is now on new coach Nicholas Muyoti who will be coming face to face with City Stars former coach and Kebyan legend John Bobby Ogola on the Police side.
Summary
KPL games – None
NSL games – City Stars away to Police
8-Apr-17; Kenya Police vs City Stars, 0-0 (D)
29-Sep-18; Kenya Police vs City Stars, 0-0 (D)
17-Apr-19; Kenya Police vs City Stars, 2-0 (L)-awarded
6-Oct-19; Kenya Police vs City Stars, 2-3 (W)
16 Oct 21; Kenya Police vs City Stars, ?
NSL games – City Stars at home
18-Sep-17; City Stars vs Kenya Police, 0-3 (L)
7-May-18: City Stars vs Kenya Police, 1-1 (D)
16-Jan-19; City Stars vs Kenya Police, 1-1 (D)
29-Feb-20; City Stars vs Kenya Police, 2-1 (W)
Head coach Nicholas Muyoti has tweaked his squad for the second game of the season against Kenya Police at Kasarani Annex on Saturday 16 October 2021 starting 3 pm.
Defender Edwin Buliba as well as midfielders John Kamau and Peter Opiyo, all of whom were part of the season opener against Sofapaka in Wundayi, take a rest for the first-ever meeting with Police in the top flight.
Their places have been taken up by stopper Lennox Ogutu, Michael Madoya, and Davis Agesa.
Ogutu and Madoya, signed from Mathare United and Tusker, respectively, are both in line to make their Simba wa Nairobi debuts in the upcoming clash.
Nairobi City Stars squad vs Kenya Police
Goalkeepers: 16. Jacob Osano, 23. Steve Njunge
Defenders: 4. Salim Abdalla, 8. Calvin Masawa, 19. Kevin Okumu, 25. Kenedy Onyango, 26. Dennis Wanjala, 27. Lennox Ogutu
Midfielders: 2. Elvis Noor Ojiambo, 3. Charles Otieno, 5. Mike Madoya, 7. Rodgers Okumu, 18. Sven Yidah, 20. Timothy Ouma, 30. Anthony Kimani,
Strikers: 9. Vincent Otieno Okoth, 11. Davis Agesa, 17. Nicholas Kipkirui, 24. Erick Ombija, 32. Ezekiel Odera
Not considered: 6. Ronney Kola, 22. Wycliffe Otieno (both injured) 1. Elvis Ochoro, 10. Peter Opiyo, 12. Edwin Buliba, 14. Rowland Makati, 15. John Kamau, 21. Oliver Maloba, 28. Herit Mungai, 29. Ebrima Sanneh
