06 Nov 2021
NCS, Team News Permalink
Nairobi City Stars
David Gateri in a game for City Starsagainst Vihiga Bullets back on 18 Jan 2020 at Camp Toyoyo. City Stars won 2-0

Head-to-head: Nairobi City Stars (H) vs Vihiga Bullets (A): 2021/22 FKF Premier League season

November 6, 2021

Vihiga Bullets will be guests to Nairobi City Stars at Ruaraka on Saturday 6 November 2021 for a sixth-round FKF Premier League tie set to roll off at 3 pm.

It’s a historic game as the two sides have never met in the top-flight league.

While it will be the first premier league meet, it will only be the third time that City Stars and Bullets will be facing off in the recent past.

While in the second tier during the 2019/20 National Super League (NSL) season, the two met twice, with City Stars posting a 2-1 away win at Bukhungu in September 2019 before topping up with a 2-0 win in the reverse game at Camp Toyoyo in January 2020.

The Bukhungu game was played twice in two days. Due to force majeure -heavy rains-, the first game aborted when City Stars was leading 1-0 in the 78th minute.

Into the upcoming game, City Stars has so far picked ten points from the first five games compared to one by their visitors.

From the immediate past set of games, City Stars managed a 1-1 draw against Posta Rangers as Bullets ran neighborhood rivals Kakamega Homeboyz close before narrowly being edged out 3-2 at Bukhungu. They had twice come from behind to tie the game 2-2.

Those results will set up the tone for the Ruaraka affair on Saturday evening when Vihiga Bullets Coach Evans Mafuta parades his boys against his counterpart Nicholas Muyoti.

City Stars will have up to ten players that met Bullets in Toyoyo back in January 2020 available for the upcoming game.

They include goal scorers Oliver Maloba and Ezekiel Odera, as well as Ebrima Sanneh who scored a brace in the first leg.

Summary

KPL games: 0

NSL Games – 2

9-Sep-2019; Vihiga Bullets vs Nairobi City Stars, 1-2 (W)
20-Jan-2020; Vihiga Bullets vs Nairobi City Stars, 2-0 (W)

Ebrima Sanneh contesting the ball against a Vihiga Bullets player at Camp Toyoyo on Sat 18 Jan 2020

City Stars vs Vihiga Bullets at Camp Toyoyo on Sat 18 Jan 2020. They won 2-0

05 Nov 2021
NCS, Team News Permalink
Nairobi City Stars, Sanneh
Gambian striker Ebrima Sanneh during a Betway Cup Round 64 game against Mutomo Tigers at Kitui Stadium on Sat 13 Feb 2021. He scored a brace to lead City Stars to a 4-1 win

Four changes against Vihiga Bullets

November 5, 2021

From the squad that faced Posta Rangers in the last FKF Premier league assignment, head coach Nicholas Muyoti has made four changes ahead of a sixth-round league game against Vihiga Bullets in Ruaraka on Saturday 6 November 2021 starting 3 pm. 

Due to injuries suffered from the Posta Rangers game, speedster Rodgers Okuse Okumu and Nicholas Kipirui are out of the Bullets game.

Supersub Erick Ombija was forced out of the game after picking an ankle strain in training on Thursday.

The three slots have been snapped up by John Kamau, Peter Opiyo, and Gambian hitman Ebrima Sanneh who makes the squad for the first time this season.

The final change is a tactical one. Lennox Ogutu takes a rest which allows utility Edwin Buliba back in the squad.

From the squad that took on Bullets while in the second tier back in January 2020 at Camp Toyoyo, and won 2-0, the changes are ten.

Keeper Levis Opiyo, Azizi Okaka, Jimmy Bageya who all started the game, as well as David Gateri, and Eric Ochieng who came on as subs, plus Wesley Onguso who was unused, have since left the club.

Wycliffe Otieno and Charles Otieno, who both started the game then, are not part of the upcoming game. Wycliffe is yet to fully recuperate from an ankle dislocation suffered in August as Charles is on rest.

Seven players who featured in the Camp Toyoyo game; Calvin Masawa, Oliver Maloba, Kevin Okumu, field skipper Anthony Kimani, Ebrima Sanneh, Ezekiel Odera, and Salim Abdalla, are all in line for yet another Bullets game, albeit at a higher level.

Unused subs then; Jacob Osano, Buliba, and Vincent Otieno aka Jamaica, are all part of the squad.

Keeper Stephen Njunge, defenders Kenedy Onyango, Dennis Wanjala, midfielders Sven Yidah, Michael Madoya, and Timothy Ouma, all signed later, will be angling for a first test against Bullets.

They will be joined by Kamau, Peter Opiyo, Davis Agesa, and Elvis Noor Ojiambo who all missed the January game.

City Stars squad to face Vihiga Bullets

Goalkeepers: 16. Jacob Osano, 23. Stephen Njunge

Defenders: 4. Salim Abdallah, 25. Kenedy Onyango, 26. Dennis Wanjala, 19. Kevin Okumu, 12. Edwin Buliba, 8. Calvin Masawa,

Midfielders: 5. Michael Madoya, 2. Elvis Noor Ojiambo, 10. Peter Opiyo, 30. Anthony Kimani-captain, 20. Timothy Ouma, 18. Sven Yidah, 15. John Kamau, 21. Oliver Maloba

Strikers: 11. Davis Agesa, 9. Vincent Otieno Okoth, 29. Ebrima Sanneh, 32. Ezekiel Odera

Out: 22. Wycliffe Otieno, 6. Ronney Kola, 24. Erick Ombija, 7. Rodgers Okumu, 17. Nicholas Kipkirui (all injured), 14. Rowland Makati, 1. Elvis Ochoro, 27. Lennox Ogutu, 28. Herit Mungai, 3. Charles Otieno

04 Nov 2021
NCS, Team News Permalink
Nairobi City Stars, Pinchez
Peter Opiyo of City Stars looking at available options against Western Stima during a round 20 clash played at Ruaraka on Tue 15 Jun 2021. City Stars won 2-0

City Stars to host Bullets at Ruaraka

November 4, 2021

Ruaraka will host the first-ever Premier League meeting between Nairobi City Stars and promoted Vihiga Bullets on Saturday 6 November starting 3 pm.

There was a possibility of the fifth round game shifting to Hope Centre, Kawangware, to be played on Sunday 7 November, but that has since been shelved for another day.

“We had hoped to host the game at the Hope centre. However, due to unavoidable circumstances, Ruaraka, as originally planned, was maintained as the facility to host the Bullets game,” said club CEO Patrick Korir

“It’s been close to two years since City Stars played a league game at the Hope Centre due to the busy schedule of the venue,”

“We are now glad that the venue managers are receptive to our request to host games at the grounds as, over the years, that been regarded as the epicentre of Nairobi City Stars,”

“In due course, we will host some matches there and reconnect with our dear fans. In the meantime we urge them to come out and support us in the games that will be hosted in select venues across town,” urged Korir

City Stars last hosted a Premier Lague game at the Hope Centre – in hosting Mathare United – on 8 November 2014. The game ended 0-0.

Anthony Kimani

City Stars vs Fortune Sacco in a past NSL in Oct 2019 at Hope Centre, Kawangware

02 Nov 2021
NCS, Team News Permalink
Edwin Buliba, City Stars
Edwin Buliba, City Stars

Friendly fire: Vapor Sports 0 Nairobi City Stars 3

November 2, 2021

Two first-half goals by Ebrima Sanneh and Salim Abdallah, off a cross and corner from John Kamau, set off Simba wa Nairobi to a 3-0 romp over home team Vapor Sports at the Hope Centre, Kawangware on Tuesday 2 November 2021.

The first goal came in the 10th minute with Abdalla doubling things up in the 37th minute.

A goal off the blind side, from a Davis Agesa delivery across goal, settled the tie in the final minutes of the second half.

Head coach Nicholas Muyoti used the tie to hand match fitness to the players who did not feature in the last FKF Premier League game against Posta Rangers at the Thika Stadium on Saturday. That game ended 1-1.

Maloba was a second-half substitute for Agesa in the Posta game. It was his first premier league game this season.

Madoya was a late substitute for teenager Timothy Ouma in the same game as Salim, Masawa, Elvis, Buliba, and Njunge were unused substitutes.

While Opiyo is angling for a return after the opening game of the season, Ochoro, Kamau, Makati, Mungai, Sanneh are all seeking their first game of the season.

Charles and Vincent missed out on the last squad

Lineup

1. Elvis Ochoro (23. Stephen Njunge-45), 8. Calvin Masawa, 4. Salim Abdallah, 12. Edwin Buliba, 28. Herit Mungai, 3. Charles Otieno (2. Elvis Noor Ojiambo), 10. Peter Opiyo (21. Oliver Maloba), 9. Vincent Otieno (11. Davis Agesa), 29. Ebrima Sanneh, 5. Mike Madoya (14. Rowland Makati), 15. John Kamau

01 Nov 2021
NCS, Team News Permalink
Timothy Ouma, City Stars
Attacking midfielder Timothy 'Babu' Ouma in action for Nairobi City Stars during a 1-0 win over Tusker on Fri 30 July 2021 in Ruaraka. He provided the all important assist

Timothy Ouma receives Kenya National team callup

November 1, 2021

After a blistering start to the 2021/22 Kenyan Premier League season, teenage sensation Timothy Noor Ouma aka Babu, an attacking midfielder, has been called up to the National Team for the last two 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Uganda and Rwanda.

Ouma, signed from Laiser Hill Academy mid last year, is one of 27 players called up to the Provisional squad named on Monday 1 November 21 by head coach Engin Firat.

The 2020 Rift Valley Chapa Dimba MVP has been in his finest element in the premier league where he has been directly involved in eight of the nine goals scored by City Stars in the first five games of the season.

Ouma scored once in each of the first three games against Sofapaka (maiden premier league goal), Kenya Police, and Wazito and went on to provide an assist for one of the two goals scored against Bidco United in game four.

Beyond, he has been behind four moves that contributed to four goals in the last four games after initiating the play that ended up with he assist providers.

Ouma was nominated for the player of the week after matchdays 3 and 4. He made the team of the week on both occasions.

“I am overjoyed to have had a good five games into the season. I have to thank my teammates for pushing me to the special mentions that I have received so far,” said Babu

“That push has now led to the biggest call of all; to the National team. It’s exciting, and very confusing at the same time. I will go there and promise to give a good account of myself.” added Ouma

City Stars head coach Nicholas Muyoti – a former Kenya National team skipper – commented on Ouma’s call;

“He has great potential. We wish him all the best. This call will boost his confidence.”

Kenya starts residential training on Saturday 6 November ahead of the upcoming assignments against Uganda (away) on Thursday 11 November 2021, and against Rwanda at Nyayo Stadium four days after.

It is the second time that Ouma is being considered for National as the latest call follows up on his first mention to another setup; the Kenya U20 team in October 2020 – alongside City Stars keeper Elvis Ochoro – ahead of CECAFA U20 championship held later that year in Tanzania.

Full Squad

Goalkeepers: Ian Otieno (Zesco, Zambia), Brian Bwire (Tusker), James Saruni (Ulinzi Stars), Gad Mathews (Gor Mahia)

Defenders: Stanley Okumu (KAA Gent, Belgium), Abud Omar (AEL Larissa, Greece), Eric Ouma (AIK, Sweden), Bolton Omwenga (Kagera Sugar, Tanzania), Eugene Asike (Tusker), Johnstone Omurwa (Wazito), Philemon Otieno (Gor Mahia)

Midfielders: Amos Nondi (Dilagori, Georgia), Richard Odada (Redstar Belgrade, Serbia), Anthony Wambani (Vasalunds, Sweden), Kenneth Muguna (Azam, Tanzania), Alwyn Tera (FC Ararat, Armenia), Anthony Akumu (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa), Wilkins Ochieng (Club Brugge), Michael Mutinda (KCB), Duke Abuya (Kenya Police), Timothy Ouma (Nairobi City Stars), Eric Johanna Omondi (Jonkopings, Sweden), Boniface Muchiri (Tusker), Abdallah Hassan (Bandari)

Forwards: Michael Olunga (Al Duhail, Qatar), Masud Juma (Difaâ Hassani El Jadidi, Morocco), Ismael Dunga (Sagan Tosu, Japan)

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