Blog | Page 167 | Nairobi City Stars

11 Dec 2020

Patrick NCS, Team News Permalink

Timothy Ouma against Mt. Kenyua United on Sat 14 Nov 2020

Teen Babu starts against Bandari

Patrick December 11, 2020

After two sub shows in the opening games against Nzoia Sugar and KCB, Laiser Hill Academy alumnus Timothy Noor Ouma aka Babu, will register his first Premier league start when Nairobi City Stars hosts Bandari at Kasarani on Friday 11th December 2020 starting 3pm.

Head coach Sanjin Alagic has trusted the promising teenager Babu to start out ahead of another teen Vincent Otieno Jamaica Okoth who was in the starting lineup against KCB. Jamaica will make the bench.

As Babu starts, his elder sibling Elvis Noor Ojiambo has dropped to the bench to gift Sven Yidah a first start for City Stars.

Save for those two starting changes, the rest of the starting cast remains as was against KCB

Anthony Muki Kimani wears the armband for a third straight game as he spearheads Simba wa Nairobi against his former club as Herit Mungai Atariza, Kenedy Onyango, Salim Abdalla and Azizi Okaka create the backline to shield keeper Steve Njunge.

Peter Pinchez Opiyo will play alongside Sven and Muki in midfield as tricky Oliver Maloba, Babu and Davis Agesa complete the attack line.

Jimmy Bageya, City Stars top scorer against Bandari with three goals (alongside retired Arthur Museve), headlines the bench power that also has overall team captain Calvin Masawa, utility back Edwin Buliba and roving winger Rodgers Okumu, both of whom made their KPL bow against KCB last Friday.

Teenage keeper Elvis Ochoro and striker Ezekiel Odera complete the bench.

Starting lineup vs Bandari: 23. Steve Njunge (GK), 28. Herit Mungai Atariza, 25. Kenedy Onyango, 4. Salim Abdalla, 27. Azizi Okaka, 10. Peter Opiyo, 18. Sven Yidah, 20. Timothy Ouma , 30. Anthony Kimani (Captain), 21. Oliver Maloba, 11. Davis Agesa

Subs: 1. Elvis Ochoro (GK), 2. Elvis Noor Ojiambo, 7. Rodgers Okumu, 8. Calvin Masawa, 32. Ezekiel Odera, 9. Vincent Otieno Okoth, 12. Edwin Buliba, 19. Jimmy Bageya

Not considered: 29. Ebrima Sanneh, 3. Charles Otieno, 22. Wycliffe Otieno, 24. Erick Ombija (injuries), 16. Jacob Osano (sickness), 5. Wesley Onguso, 15. John Kamau, 17. Yusuf Mukisa Lubowa

Technical bench: Sanjin Alagic (Head Coach), Nihad Nalbantic, John Amboko (Assistant coaches), Noah Abich (Team Manager)

Timothy Ouma of City Stars challenging for the ball against a Sharks player during a friendly at Utalii on Sat 31 Oct 2020

10 Dec 2020

Patrick NCS, Team News Permalink

Bageya in for Bandari clash

Patrick December 10, 2020

Experienced forward Jimmy Bageya has made the cut to face Bandari FC in a third round premier league clash set for Friday 11 December 2020 at Kasarani.

Bageya missed the opening two games against Nzoia Sugar and KCB, and according to head coach Sanjin Alagic, this is why he was called in for the game;

“He has worked very hard and well in training this week and deserved to make the squad to face Bandari. He will start from the bench.” said Sanjin

He is the only addition to the 18-man squad that faced off with KCB in the last outing last.

With three goals, Bageya is City Stars top scorer against Bandari (alongside retired Arthur Museve)

Centre back Kenedy Onyango who had been ill for a few days after the KCB game was passed fit for the game.

Eric Ombija, injured in training ahead of the KCB game, and Wycliffe Otieno who picked a knock in the opener against Nzoia Sugar, will still sit out the Friday game.

Squad to face Bandari

23. Steve Njunge (GK), 28. Herit Mungai Atariza, 25. Kenedy Onyango, 4. Salim Abdalla, 27. Azizi Okaka, 2. Elvis Noor Ojiambo, 10. Peter Opiyo, 7. Rodgers Okumu, 8. Calvin Masawa, 32. Ezekiel Odera, 30. Anthony Kimani, 21. Oliver Maloba, 9. Vincent Otieno Okoth, 11. Davis Agesa, 1. Elvis Ochoro (GK), 12. Edwin Buliba, 18. Sven Yidah, 20. Timothy Ouma,19. Jimmy Bageya,

Not considered: 29. Ebrima Sanneh, 3. Charles Otieno, 22. Wycliffe Otieno, 24. Erick Ombija (injuries), 16. Jacob Osano (sickness), 5. Wesley Onguso, 15. John Kamau, 17. Yusuf Mukisa Lubowa

Jimmy Bageya shields the ball against Mt. Kenya players on Sat 14 Nov 2020 at Dagoretti High. The game ended 1-1

Herit Mungai (28), Jimmy Bageya (19) during a friendly against Mt. Kenya United on Sat 14 Nov 2020 at Dagoretti High. It ended 1-1

Jimmy Bageya in action against Migori Youth at Camp Toyoyo in Oct 2019

10 Dec 2020

Patrick NCS, Team News Permalink

Head to head: Nairobi City Stars (H) vs Bandari FC (A)

Patrick December 10, 2020

On Friday 11 December 2020, Nairobi City Stars will host Bandari at Kasarani (outer) in a third round 2020/21 FKF Premier League tie.

Bandari comes to the game with a win (1-0 over Sofapaka) and draw (0-0 vs Tusker) and have a clean sheet to protect against Simba wa Nairobi who head to the game with a win (2-0 vs Nzoia Sugar) and loss (1-0 vs KCB) from the opening two games of the season.

From the archives, the two sides have previously met 14 times in the top flight between 2008 and year 2016.

Ten different coaches; John Bobby Ogola (3 games), Oliver Page (1), Ken Odhiambo (2), Gideon Ochieng (1), Bai Malleh Wadda (1), Jan Koops (1), Robinson Ndubuisi (2), Paul Nkata (1), Gabriel Njoroge (1) and Richard Tamale Pinto (1), have overseen City Stars against Bandari in the 14 games.

Of the 14 affairs’, Nairobi City Stars has won five (5), Bandari three (3) with the other six (6) ending in draws.

Of the 14, City Stars has hosted seven games and went on to win three (3), draw as many (3) and lost once (1).

The Friday meet will be the 15th overall encounter, and eighth that City Stars will be hosting the Dockers.

For the first time ever, the two will face off at Kasarani as the other seven games were played at Hope Centre (3 times), Nyayo Stadium (3) and City Stadium (1).

There are lots of entanglements between the two teams as, during their last visit to Nairobi, Bandari drew City Stars 2-2 at Nyayo Stadium on 18 February 2016.

Anthony Muki Kimani scored a brace for Bandari to salvage a point. Incidentally, Muki is the current Nairobi City Stars captain.

Those two goals, that included a point-earning 57th minute penalty, made Muki Bandari’s top scorer against City Stars with four goals, all scored in three consecutive games.

Muki was the scorer of the only goal for Bandari when City Stars lost their home game on 1 April 2015 at City Stadium.

Jimmy Bageya – a current member of City Stars – and Arthur Museve (retired as a player and now City Stars trainer), are the top scorers for Simba wa Nairobi against Bandari with three goals apiece.

In the upcoming Friday game, City Stars will be handled by an eleventh coach against Bandari – Bosnian Sanjin Alagic, while the visitors have a former City Stars Coach – Ken Odhiambo as their head coach. Back in 2009, Ken masterminded City Stars 2-1 over Bandari in Mombasa.

Beyond, two siblings on either side will be factor in the game; Herit Mungai Atariza will be City Stars left back and at the end of the left channel where he operates will be his elder sibling Nicholas Meja Atariza, Bandari’s fullback 2.

Who will prevail in this one when top flight returnees City Stars squares it out with title contenders Bandari?

Summary

Overall meetings – 14: Nairobi City Stars wins (5), Bandari wins (3), Draws (6)

City Stars as hosts – 7 times: Wins (3), Draws (3), Losses (1)

Bandari top scorer vs City Stars: Anthony Muki Kimani (4 goals)

City Stars top scorer vs Bandari: Jimmy Bageya, Arthur Museve (3 goals each)

09 Dec 2020

Patrick NCS, Team News Permalink

Pinchez: KPL feels ‘new’, seven years later

Patrick December 9, 2020

Peter Pinchez Opiyo played just two games for AFC Leopards in the 2014 Kenyan Premier League (KPL) season, a sub appearance against Kakamega Homeboyz and full game against Ulinzi Stars.

Then he was gone. To Finland. Then Qatar. Then back to Finland, between 2014 to the end of 2018.

At some point in early 2018 he registered with Posta Rangers but never played a game as he returned to Scandinavia to join SJK in Finland’s top tier, the Veikkausliiga.

But on Sunday 29 November 2020, 2,470 days after his last game against Ulinzi on 24th Feb 2014, he was back playing in the KPL as promoted City Stars beat Nzoia Sugar 2-0 at the Narok Stadium in their season opener, in their first premier league game in four years and ten days.

“It’s a good feeling to be back playing in the (Kenyan Premier) league,” said Pinchez

“It feels different though. It’s like I am in a whole new league that I have never played in before,” he added, with a slight laugh

After the Nzoia game, City Stars took on hosts KCB at Kasarani in their second game of the season.

Even though it ended in a 1-0 loss, Pinchez was picked out as the MVP by the Simba wa Nairobi technical bench.

Commenting on the two games so far into the season, Pinchez said;

“So far so good now that we are playing games week in week out,” added Pinchez who joined City Stars in January 2020

He looks forward to the next game against Bandari set for Kasarani on Friday 11th December 2020

“We need to win it to keep up with the pack at the top of the league.”

08 Dec 2020

Patrick NCS, Team News Permalink

Top flight bow excites Buliba

Patrick December 8, 2020

Stopper cum right fullback Edwin Edu Buliba Angaba took to the field in the 77th minute as Nairobi City Stars visited KCB at Kasarani on Friday 4 December 2020 during a second round 2020/21 Premier League clash.

Buliba came on for a tiring Azizi Okaka for his top flight debut.

Azizi started the game for injured Wycliffe Otieno for his first Premier League game in City Stars colors, his 78th overall top flight game since 2013.

“I am so excited and very happy to have earned my first premier league game,” said Edu

“It was my first game and it will certainly not be the last. There are many more to come.” added the beaming lad

Unfortunately his debut didn’t end well as the Bankers collected all spoils at Kasarani after winning the tie 1-0.

Buliba joined City Stars in 2018 from Vapor Sports and has since risen from the junior ranks to the senior team.

Other than Buliba, roving winger Rodgers Okuse Okumu, a signing from Coast Stima, also grabbed his premier debut against KCB after coming on for Vincent Jamaica Otieno Okoth in the second half.

City Stars defender Edwin Buliba in training