09 Mar 2024
NCS, Team News Permalink
City Stars, Buliba
Edwin Buliba up against Titus Wainaina as Nairobi City Stars took on Bidco United on Tue 7 Mar 2023 in KAsarani Annex during matchday 18. It ended 0-0

Head-to-head: Nairobi City Stars (H) vs Bidco United (A): 2023-24 FKF-PL season

March 9, 2024

Nairobi City Stars will host Thika-based Bidco United on Saturday 9 March 2024 in Machakos Stadium starting at 1 p.m. during a 24th round, 2023-24 FKF Premier League tie. 

It will be the fourth home game for Simba wa Nairobi against Bidco United in the Kenyan topflight, and overall, the eighth meeting at that level.

Yet, it will be the first meeting for the two out in Machakos. The last time City Stars hosted Bidco United was on 22 November 2022 in Nyayo Stadium during the season opener in the 2022-23 FKF Premier League season. Bidco United won it 2-0.

From the previous three home games, Bidco United topples City Stars with two wins to one, scoring four goals against three.

Earlier this season, the two faced off in matchday two in Kasarani Annex in early September 2023. It ended in a 1-1 draw.

Once again, City Stars head coach Nicholas Muyoti will be coming up against Bidco’s Anthony Akhulia for the fifth time in the top league. For Akhulia, it will be his eighth premier league game against City Stars.

Heading to the match, both sides will parade draws from their previous round of games. While City Stars shows up with a 0-0 draw against Kariobangi Sharks, Bidco United will show up with a 1-1 draw against Sofapaka.

Tablewise, Simba wa Nairobi sits sixth on the log with 38 points, seven better than tenth-placed Bidco United.

Who wins this one?

Summary

City Stars Home games vs Bidco United-3: City Stars win (1), Bidco win (2), Draws (0)

25-Jul-21; Nairobi City Stars vs Bidco United, 1-2
24-Oct-21; Nairobi City Stars vs Bidco United, 2-0
20-Nov-22; Nairobi City Stars vs Bidco United, 0-2
09-Mar-24; Nairobi City Stars vs Bidco United, ??

09 Mar 2024
NCS, Team News Permalink
Brian Mose, Rogers Obusu out of the tunnel during a previous game against Shabana in Machakos Stadium on Sat 4 Feb 2024
Brian Mose, Rogers Obusu out of the tunnel during a previous game against Shabana in Machakos Stadium on Sat 4 Feb 2024

Three changes against Bidco United

March 9, 2024

Keeper Byron Owino, teen defender Rogers Obusu Wasega, and forward Brian Mose have all been included in the Nairobi City Stars squad to face Bidco United in a 24th round, 2023-24 FKF Premier League match in Machakos on Saturday 9 March 2024 starting at 1 p.m.

All three missed the last game against Kariobangi Sharks but are now back in the 20-man squad for the upcoming clash.

Byron takes up the place of Elvis Ochoro as Wasega and Mose slot in for centerbacks Timothy Muganda and Sosthenes Idah who are both out due to cautions suspension.

Regular Andrew Kisilu sits out a second game due to an injury, as well as wideman Pius Omachi and defender Edwin Buliba who are nursing knocks. Forward Kelvin Etemesi who had been ill is currently in the final stages of his recovery.

Squad to face Bidco United

Goalkeepers: 1. Edwin Mukolwe, 23. Byron Owino,

Defenders: 8. Calvin Masawa, 15. Wycliffe Omondi, 24. Rogers Obusu, 26. Dennis Wanjala, 30. Rowland Makati

Midfielders: 2. Elvis Noor,  5. Newton Ochieng,  6. Shem Odinga, 18. Clifford Ouma, 19. Vincent Owino,  31. Abuyeka Kubasu

Forwards: 3. Robinson Asenwa, 9. Mohammed Bajaber, 10. Dennis Oalo, 17. Brian Mose, 22. Samuel Kapen, 21. Yuto Kusaba, 27. Gilbert Abala

Out:  4. Timothy Muganda,  7. Pius Omachi, 11. Andrew Kisilu, 12. Edwin Buliba, 13. Elvis Ochoro, 20. Kelvin Etemesi, 32. Sosthenes Idah

Coach: Nicholas Muyoti

07 Mar 2024
NCS, Team News Permalink
Edwin Mukolwe
Edwin Mukolwe during warmup against Kariobangi Sharks in Police Sacco Stadium on Sat 2 March 2024

Edwin Mukolwe on Sharks stalemate

March 7, 2024

On Saturday 2 March 2024, Nairobi City Stars visited Kariobangi Sharks in a matchday 23, 2023-24 FKF Premier League match in Police Sacco Stadium, and forced a 0-0 draw.

The outcome of the game could have been different but Simba wa Nairobi goalkeeper pulled of a massive coup on Sharks attempt to win the game by saving a Johnmark Makata penalty with just about ten minutes of play left.

In saving that spot kick, and topping up on other daring saves in the first half, Mukolwe went on to be named man of the match for a second time this season.

He talked up the immediate past game, and the plot in the upcoming one against his immediate former team Bidco United.

“It was a good push from the team. We wanted maximum points but are grateful for the point. Focus now shifts to the next assignment against Bidco United where we hope to bounce back to winning ways. We aim to improve day by day, one game at a time,”

Prior to the Sharks clash, City Stars had gone down 1-0 to reigning champions Gor Mahia in Machakos the previous weekend.

“Against Sharks, the boys gave a good account of themselves, bouncing back from that disappointing loss,” added Mukolwe

Mukolwe, in his first season with Simba wa Nairobi, has so far featured in half of the games this season – 17 – on his way to clocking 1,530 regular time minutes.

He has twice been named MVP – against Bandari in matchday 14 apart from the recent one against Sharks, and has eight clean sheets to his name.

In matchday 14, Mukolwe made it to the team of the week.

Edwin Mukolwe

Edwin Mukolwe in action against Posta Rangers in Ruaraka on 13 Jan 2024. City stars won the game 1-0

05 Mar 2024
NCS, Team News Permalink
Mohammed Bajaber
Mohammed Bajaber against Kariobangi Sharks on Sat 2 March 2024 in Police Sacco Stadium during a matchday 23, 2023-24 FKF Premier League season match

Mohammed Bajaber’s first 90

March 5, 2024

After sitting out three games, forward Mohammed Bajaber returned to the Nairobi City Stars lineup on Saturday 2 March 2024 against Kariobangi Sharks and went on to register his first full 90-minute Kenyan Premier League game.

Bajaber had sat out games against Shabana, Bandari, and Gor Mahia but returned to the starting lineup for the tenth time this season, against Sharks.

“It’s been a lot of hard work, especially after a recent injury. I had to do a lot of extra work to get my fitness up and I am happy it has brought about my first full premier league game,” said the player crowned Simba wa Nairobi’s January player of the month

Head coach Nicholas Muyoti chipped in on Mohammed’s milestone stating;

“He worked for it during recent friendlies and we were convinced that his performance has reached a point where he could stretch across a full game. And he proved it in the Sharks game,”

“Mentally he needs to know that he is a 90-minute player and should pyschologically prepare to complete more games.” said Muyoti

In returning against Sharks, Bajaber earned his 17th game this season, to improve his regular time minutes to 877. Overall, it was his 33rd premiership game.

In his previous 16 games in the last two seasons, Bajaber earned only three starts and 13 sub appearances.

04 Mar 2024
NCS, Team News Permalink
Obed Nyamweya
Nairobi City Stars Game Analyst and Psychologist Obed Nyamweya

Obed Nyamweya talks up journey from last season

March 4, 2024

Nairobi City Stars game analyst and team psychologist Obed Nyamweya notes that player growth is what has contributed positively to the teams’ improved performance this season.

According to Nyamweya, the youthful lot at City Stars are very adaptive and, with a newfound familiarity amongst themselves, things have turned out for the better in the team.

In the first leg of last season, Simba wa Nairobi was a firm relegation candidate, and deep in the lower echelons of the 18-team log. Only an improved second-leg show got the team out of the red zone.

“Fighting relegation in the premier league is not easy for various reasons; teams perceive you as underdogs and they come for all points,”

“There is an aspect of an inferiority complex when you keep losing matches and for young players it’s hard to boost their morale, and lastly, there is an aspect of bad luck. Things don’t work out completely and you are left asking what are we not doing right,” added Nyamweya

“Last season we had a mixture of experienced and inexperienced players and we had to find balance within the team. Somehow, the results did not come as we had expected. We are glad we turned the corner and survived relegation and now we are onto a much better season.”

According to Nyamweya, the team is now a fully functional and confident lot;

“From the look of things, as per the Premier League table, it’s evident City Stars is a different team from last season having grown in terms of confidence & performance,”

“Last season, entry of players to the premier league was an induction process. This year they have grown and have belief in themselves and have been pushing and are loving the fact they are playing,”

“Most of the young players have the fire burning in their belies. They have found their feet and their confidence is growing. They are getting more minutes under their belts and have the urge to prove themselves and make headlines,”

“City Stars is now a fully gelled team and the results are coming through.”

Nyamweya joined Simba wa Nairobi at the onset of last year when the team was groping with losses. Separately, Nyamweya is the head coach of  FIFA Best, a community side.

Obed Nyamweya

Nairobi City Stars game analyst and psychologist Obed Nyamweya

Nyamweya, Muyoti

City Stars game analyst Obed Nyamweya and head coach Nicholas Muyoti

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