30 Mar 2020
NCS, Team News Permalink

Nairobi City Stars in numbers; Sep 2019 – Mar 2020

March 30, 2020

The Betika Super League (BSL) is at an indefinite standstill starting Monday 16 March 2020 due to an outbreak of Corona Virus. 

Following the pandemic, not only did the BSL stop, but all leagues country wide and most across the globe.

Two weeks into the forced break, we take a trip back to look at the numbers that defined Simba wa Nairobi’s season from 1st Sept 2019 to mid-March 2020 after 28 BSL rounds of play (27 actual played games);

0: Away losses from 13 outings

1
– Assist provided by keeper Levis Lovae Opiyo, striker Jimmy Bageya, defenders Calvin Masawa and Salim Shitu Abdalla
– MVP mentions for Charles Chale Oduro, Wesley Wiseman Onguso, Wycliffe Otieno, David Gateri and Bageya

2
– Goals scored by right back Kevin Chumsy Okumu
– Times Peter Pinchez Opiyo, his sibling Lovae and center back Shitu have been named MVPs
– Losses suffered in the season (1-0 and 3-1 at home to Kibera Black Stars and Coast Stima, respectively)
-Number of penalties saved by keeper Lovae

3
– Goals scored by striker Ezekiel Odera (in 6 games), Shitu and Anthony Muki Kimani
– Times Muki has been named MVP
– Assists by teenager striker Vincent Jamaica Otieno and Gateri

4
– Assists by fullbacks Chumsy  and Wiseman
– Goals scored by winger Gateri
– MVP mentions for striker Davis Agesa

5
– Goals scored by midfielder Oliver Maloba
– Assists by striker Agesa

6
– Goals scored by strikers Agesa and Bageya
– Times Maloba has been named MVP (highest);
– Maximum points (H+A) gathered from Shabana, Vihiga Bullets, Bidco United, Kenya Police, AP Bomet and Nairobi Stima

7: Penalties conceded; 2 vs Nairobi Stima (A), 1 each against Mt. Kenya (A), Vihiga United (A), Coast Stima (H), Admin Police (A), Kenya Police (H)

9
– Goals by Gambian striker Ebrima Sanneh; 6 headers, 1 placed goal, 1 tap-in and 1 penalty
– Number of 2-1 wins this season

10: Assists provided by Muki (highest); 5 free kicks, 2 corner kicks, 3 passes

11: Home games hosted at Camp Toyoyo, Jericho. Another 4 at Hope Centre, Kawangware

12
-Clean sheets (8 in 19 first leg games and four in eight second leg games)
-Debuts to Lovae, Shitu, Wiseman, Wycliffe, Nahashon Thiongo, Cornelius Mwangi, Elvis Ojiambo, Eric Cantona Ochieng, Jamaica (Sept 2019), Pinchez, Azizi Okaka, Jacob Osano (Jan, Feb 2020).

13: Unbeaten away games; 12 wins, 1 draw

14: One-goal margin wins [2-1 (9 games), 1-0 (5 games)]

18: Goals conceded (best defense in BSL)

21
– Number of wins this season
– Games captained by Muki

25: Squad for the second leg

32: Highest digit shirt no. Belongs to Ezekiel Odera

33: Players used this season

41: Age of UEFA Pro coach Sanjin Alagic from Bosnia

46: Total goals scored – by 13 players. Distribution; 13 tap-ins (28.3%), 10 placed goals (21.7%), 9 headers (19.6%), 8 shots (17.4%), 4 penalties (8.7%), 1 free kick (2.2%) and 1 own goal (2.2%)

57: Bookings; 53 yellow cards, 4 red cards – distributed to 17 players

64: Points attained this season

74: Minutes clocked by left footed John Kamau across three games in his second stint at City Stars

89.1 (%): Goals scored in open play (41 out of 46)

90.3 (%): Minutes (2,195) played by keeper Levis – second most used player

100 (%): Minutes clocked (2,430) by center back Shitu. The only player to play full minutes

Note: Of 27 games played this season by City Stars one does not count – a 6-0 win over Northern Wanderers on Sat 28 Sept 2019. The team has since been disbanded. However stats from that game are still included herein

24 Mar 2020
NCS, Team News Permalink
Nairobi City Stars
Oliver Maloba (21) with team mates Vincent Otieno (9) and Kevin Okumu (28) when he returned to training on Tue 10 Mar 2020 after a month out

Corona Virus: Home training program for players

March 24, 2020

Following the recent Corona Virus breakdown that brought an end to all normal programming, Nairobi City Stars technical department has crafted a ‘work from home’ schedule for all players during the lock down period.

The program will run through the last week of March to the end of April 2020 assuming there will be no changes to the current state of affairs with the pandemic.

“Considering no public grounds and facilities are open as a result of a directive from the Ministry of Health, there is no choice but to have players train from home just to stay fit,” said club CEO Patrick Korir

In relaying the program to the players, head Coach Sanjin Alagic has reminded players to observe social distancing as muted by the Ministry of Health as one of the ways to avoid the spread of the virus.

“All training work to be done from home or in an open area away from other people. Do not train in public areas including Gyms.” he called out.

The second tier Betika National Super League (NSL) took an indefinite break due to the Corona Virus after round 28 of matches on the weekend ending Sunday 15 March 2020.

After that set of games City Stars led the 19-team pack with 64-points, with a ten-point cushion.

20 Mar 2020
NCS, Team News Permalink
Ebrimma Sanneh
Ebrima Sanneh hugs coach Sanjin Alagic after scoring winner against Nairobi Stima on Sat 14 Mar 2020 at amp Toyoyo

Coronavirus: Coach Sanjin granted leave

March 20, 2020

Following the Coronavirus outbreak that led to the indefinite stop of the Betika super League from Monday 15 March 2020, Nairobi City Stars has granted head coach Sanjin Alagic leave to return to his home country Bosnia.

The coach jetted out on the evening of Thursday 19 March to join his family while the pandemic continues to be monitored globally.

“We fully understand the situation and during this time all sporting activities are at a halt. After discussions with the chair Mr. Jonathan Jackson it was only fair that we grant the coach leave to allow him join his family in Bosnia,” said club CEO Patrick Korir

“He will return once everything normalizes. In the meantime we have asked him to come up with a program that players can follow for the next one month while they continue to operate from home.” added Korir

Commenting on the scenario at hand, Sanjin said;

“When it’s uncertain you can’t plan. It’s best I go stay with my family during this period then at the right time I will return to complete the project. My family needs me at this time.” he said

Sanjin’s last assignment was to oversee a tough game against promotion chasers Nairobi Stima on Saturday at Camp Toyoyo in Jericho. City Stars won it 1-0 to open up a ten-point gap over the chasing pack.

Once in Bosnia Sanjin is expected to observe a 14-day quarantine period before he can freely mingle with his family.

17 Mar 2020
NCS, Team News Permalink
Wycliffe Otieno
Centre back Wycliffe Otieno in a past game for Nairobi City Stars against Migori Youth at Camp Toyoyo during the 2019/2020 NSL Season

Quintet commit to City Stars

March 17, 2020

Five players have extended their contracts to stay on at Nairobi City Stars for the upcoming seasons.

Save for centre back Wycliffe Otieno (pictured) who renewed his contract for one more year, four others namely Anthony Muki Kimani, Calvin Masawa, Charles Otieno Oduro and Davis Agesa have committed to the club for a further two seasons.

Masawa is City Stars longest serving player having joined from Migori back in 2011.

Muki left the club for Sofapaka back in 2009 then returned after ten years for the current season.

Oduro and Agesa have been standout players and, together with Masawa, ensured the squad survived relegation last season.

Big unit Wycliffe joined in from Kariobangi Sharks at the start of the current season and, alongside Salim Shitu Abdalla, have formed one of the best brick walls in the league. Thus far City Stars defense has conceded the least goals (18) in the NSL.

“The five extended their contracts after receiving the nod from the technical bench. It gives the team stability going forward.” said club CEO Patrick Korir

“Discussions are still ongoing with other players and the list of extensions should grow further in the weeks to come.” added Korir

With the five on-boarded for longer, head coach Sanjin Algic will have at least 11 players from the current squad of 25 for next season.

January signings Peter Pinchez Opiyo and Azizi Okaka will be with the squad till the close of the 2020/2021 season while returning Ezekiel Odera and keeper Jacob Osano arrived on two year deals to the end of the 2021/2022 season.

Youngsters Elvis Ojiambo and Vincent Otieno, a striker, signed long term deals mid least year, are part of the squad till 2022.

16 Mar 2020
NCS, Team News Permalink
Ebrimma Sanneh
Ebrima Sanneh hugs coach Sanjin Alagic after scoring winner against Nairobi Stima on Sat 14 Mar 2020 at amp Toyoyo

Coach Sanjin: Stima win due to determination

March 16, 2020

After four seasons of trying and falling short, Nairobi City Stars finally registered their first ever home win Nairobi Stima after taking them out 1-0 at the Camp Toyoyo on Saturday 14 March 2020 during a round 28 Betika Super League (BSL) tie.

Substitute Ebrima Sanneh from Gambian came off the bench to power home a header at the death after connecting to an Anthony Muki Kimani corner kick.

Speaking after the game, an elated head coach Sanjin Alagic believes its the determination his players put in that brought about all spoils from the see-saw game.

“It was good match, hard, a real derby. Nairobi Stima looked organized and it was difficult to beat them,”

“But I believe we put in a good performance, created three great opportunities (2 by Davis Agesa and 1 by Shitu) which Stima players saved from the goal line,”

“What is most important is that we keep our focus throughout the match. We were determined to win this game and now we can almost say that we are getting closer to winning the league,”

Beyond, he credits the defense line for its solidity that kept the Stima front row at bay all through.

“I am very happy with all players and their performance. We didn’t allow Stima to create dangerous situation in front of our goal.”

The latest Stima win confirmed City Stars domination over Stima having won the first leg tie at Karuturi, Naivasha 2-1 in October 2019.

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