24 Jun 2021
NCS, Team News Permalink
Nairobi City Stars, Masawa
Calvin Masawa in a past game for Nairobi City Stars against Vihiga Bullets in Feb 2020 at Camp Toyoyo

Skipper Masawa speaks

June 24, 2021

21 games into the 2020/21 Kenyan Premier League season, Nairobi City Stars has risen from a low 14th spot to sixth with 29 points, and within groping distance of the fifth spot.

The upscaling from double-digit has been aided by a string of four contiguous wins over Sofapaka (3-0), Kariobangi Sharks, and Western Stima (both ended 2-1) in the most immediate games.

But just what attributed the rise up?

According to overall team skipper Masawa – the longest-serving player having joined the club back in 2011 – the team had to refresh, after a scrutiny of the problem areas. And the results are now for all to see.

“We went back to the drawing board as players and the technical bench and asked ourselves what worked best for us when we had those good runs,” said Masawa

City Stars registered identical 2-0 wins over Nzoia United and Bandari, on either side of a 1-0 loss to KCB in the opening games, then registered two draws against Bidco United and Vihiga United, then against Ulinzi Stars and Posta Rangers, on either side of a loss to Wazito.

A string of three straight losses by Sofapaka, Kariobangi Sharks and Kakamega Homeboyz then followed.

The bad patch, a collective eight games with no win ended with a 2-1 win over Zoo FC, and it was followed up by further wins over Western Stima and Mathare United.

Then came a dry spell, narrow losses to AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia in between a draw with Tusker. That then ended with the four latest wins

“We had lost a bit of focus which is normal in football but after the meetings, we decided that it was high time we started collecting maximum points,”

“Before we were dropping points from winnable matches. We agreed it had to come to an end and here we are collecting some good wins.” added Masawa

Next up for Masawa and company is an away game against Nzoia United at the Narok Stadium on Fri 25 June 2021 from 3 pm.

Nairobi City Stars

Overall Nairobi City Stars skipper Calvin Masawa in a past game at Camp Toyoyo in Feb 2020

23 Jun 2021
NCS, Team News Permalink
Sanjin Alagic
Nairobi City Stars head coach Sanjin Alagic in a past interview

Sanjin is top coach, Njunge, Pinchez in TOTW 21

June 23, 2021

For a second time in three weeks, Nairobi City Stars head coach Sanjin Alagic has been named as the Betking Premier League coach of the week.

The Bosnian topped four other nominees to scoop the accolade.

He was nominated for the award after leading City Stars to a 1-0 win over Kakamega Homeboyz at the weekend for Simba wa Nairobi to register a fourth straight premier league win.

While Sanjin took the coaching honors, two players; keeper Steve Njunge who saved an early second-half penalty to keep City Stars in the game, and mid master Peter Pinchez Opiyo, were named to the team of the week.

— Betking Kenya Premier League (@Officialfkfpl) June 22, 2021

Separately, Njunge, named man of the match against Abana Abeingo, was nominated for player of the week. He came second.

Simba wa Nairobi was also in the running for team of the Week. The team came second out of the four nominated.

Just less than three weeks back City Stars had a clean sweep as Sanjin, defender Salim Abdalla and the team named coach of the week, player of the week, and team of the week, in that order.

Three players; Salim, Anthony Kimani and left-back Bolton Omwenga made it to the team of the week then.

22 Jun 2021
NCS, Team News Permalink
Nairobi City Stars
Anthony Muki Kimani celebrate his opening goal against Nzoia Sugar at Narok Stadium on Sun 29 Nov 2020. City Stars won 2-0

Nzoia to host City Stars in Narok

June 22, 2021

Nairobi City Stars will not be traveling to Sudi in Bukembe to play home team Nzoia United, but to Narok, for a round 22 premier league tie on Friday 25 June 2021 starting 3 pm.

The venue changes were necessitated due to a lockdown of some counties last week by the Government of Kenya following a spike in Coronavirus numbers.

The Government shutdown also locked out sports, and at that, premier league teams the affected counties that include Busia, Vihiga, Kisii, Nyamira, Kakamega, Bungoma, Kericho, Bomet, Trans Nzoia, Kisumu, Siaya, Homa-Bay and Migori, have been forced to look elsewhere for playing surfaces.

Unable to host the game in their traditional backyard Sudi, Nzoia were forced to seek an alternate and have since confirmed Narok Stadium for the upcoming game that was initlaly planned for Thursday before a shift to Friday.

FKF-Premier League managers have since confirmed the same officially;

“We wish to inform you (City Stars) that there is a change of the match venue for the match mentioned above,”

“The match shall now take place at Narok Stadium and not Sudi Stadium as earlier scheduled.”

Narok Stadium was ‘home’ to City Stars in their season opener against the same Nzoia, a historic game at that, at the end of November 2020. City Stars won 2-0 with goals from Anthony Kimani and Oliver Maloba.

Salim ‘Shitu’ Abdalla looks on in Nairobi City Stars Premier League opener against Nzoia Sugar FC on Sun 29 Nov 2020. City Stars won 2-0. Shitu was named MVP for Simba wa Nairobi

Nairobi City Stars

Oliver Maloba celebrates his goal, the second for City Stars in the season opening 2-0 win over Nzoia Sugar FC at Narok Stadium on Sun 29 Nov 2020

22 Jun 2021
NCS, Team News Permalink
Nairobi City Stars, Kamau
John Kamau during a past friendly game against Kibra United at Ligi Ndogo on Wed 3 February 2021. He scored once as to lead City Stars to a 6-0 win

Sidelines for Kamau

June 22, 2021

Left-footed John Kamau is set to stay out of action for a number of days following a recent injury suffered in training.

Kamau, a backup on all positions on the left channel, suffered the injury in the past week while shaping up for the game against Western Stima.

According to team physio Brian Odongo Otieno, Kamau will be out for up to three weeks to fully recover.

“John Kamau sustained a lateral collateral ligament injury from training. He is expected to be out for 3 weeks for his treatment and rehabilitation,” he said

Save for Kamau, a January 2020 signing from Tusker, all other players in the squad are fully fit and raring to go in upcoming games.

20 Jun 2021
NCS, Team News Permalink
Kipkirui, City Stars
Nicholas Kipkirui surrounded by City Stars players after his first-ever premier league goal earned Simba wa Nairobi a 1-0 win over Kakamega Homeboyz on Sat 19 June 2021 at Ruaraka during a matchday 21 tie

City Stars matches rare milestone with Homeboyz win

June 20, 2021

For only the fourth time in their premiership history, Nairobi City Stars were able to string four straight wins after seeing off a tough Kakamega Homeboyz 1-0 on Saturday 19 June 2021 in Ruaraka.

In the round 21 game, Nicholas Kipkirui’s 63rd-minute goal, his first for Simba wa Nairobi in the premier league, was the difference that added on to three recent second leg wins over Sofapaka (3-0), Kariobangi Sharks, and Western Stima (both ended 2-1).

In their previous 12 straight seasons in the premier league between 2004 and 2016, City Stars only managed to clock four contiguous wins on just three occasions.

Robert Matano was the first Coach to achieve the streak of four wins in a row back in 2006 when he led City Stars, then known as World Hope, to wins over Mathare Youth (3-0), Tusker (1-0), Homegrown (1-0) and Coast Stars (2-1) in match days 3 to 6.

The second such streak was in the 2008 season under coach John Bobby Ogola when the team, in their final season under the name World Hope, won games against Chemelil Sugar (1-0), Tusker (2-0), Mathare United (1-0) and Mathare Youth (1-0) in match days 15-18.

Coach Gideon Ochieng matched Bobby’s streak in the 2012 season with wins over AFC Leopards (3-0), Western Stima (1-0), Thika United (3-2, then 1-0) in match days 13-16.

Sanjin Alagic now becomes the fourth coach, and the first foreigner, to achieve the rare fete by Matano, Ogola, and Ochieng.

Prior to the latest four triumphs, Sanjin had masterminded three straight wins in February and March after seeing off Zoo FC (2-1), Western Stima, and Mathare United with identical 2-0 wins.

“We were learning the ropes in the first leg, we took in hard lessons, identified the weak areas that we have since fixed, and we are now glad to see the team rise to the point of matching some old rare records.” said club CEO Patrick Korir

Sanjin now has his work cut out, to seek an unprecedented fifth premier league win in a row, when City Stars takes on Nzoia Sugar in the next game on Thur 24 June in Sudi.

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