05 Mar 2020
NCS, Team News Permalink

City Stars player Maloba goes AWOL

March 5, 2020

For unknown reasons Nairobi City Stars superstar Oliver Maloba has taken to the length of not showing up in training, and for league games, for three and a half weeks now.

Going absent without without official leave for Maloba has puzzled Nairobi City Stars establishment who are in the dark over his whereabouts as he is unreachable on his regular telephone lines.

According to City Stars team coordinator Samson Otieno, the gifted Maloba,  an offensive midfielder, last appeared in training on Tuesday 11 February 2020, three days after a league game against Coast Stima at Camp Toyoyo.

“That Tuesday he showed up for training after two rest days. That was the last time we saw him. We can’t reach him on his phone lines, and we have no idea where he is or what he is up to. We are only receiving bits and pieces of information on his whereabouts but nothing satisfactory,”

“We had a game the other day at Toyoyo against Kenya Police and we were at pains to explain to the fans why he was missing from the match day squad. He has always been a crowd favorite and most of them come to watch him. We now want the same fans to help us track him down,” added Otieno

Team coach Sanjin Alagic is equally lost following Maloba’s absenteeism.

“I left for a two-week holiday after the Coast Stima game and when I returned, I was given information that he only appeared once for training once. I have sent several players and members of the technical bench to look for him he is still yet to show up in training. At this point we have to proceed with our plans for the rest of the season without him.”

Commenting on the same club CEO Patrick Korir had this to say; “When a player fails to attend training and does not communicate it becomes a big concern. It’s more worrisome when he can’t be reached on the contacts provided in his status file. As club we are left with no choice but to make it public as it is now three and a half weeks since we last saw him.”

Maloba is one of City Stars top performers at City Stars this season having scored five goals, provided six assists and named Most Valuable Player (MVP) six times from 23 games played.

29 Feb 2020
NCS, Team News Permalink

City Stars completes double over Police

February 29, 2020

A second half penalty from Ezekiel Odera ensured Nairobi City Stars beat Kenya Police 2-1 at Camp Toyoyo on Saturday 29 February 2020 in a Betika Super League (BSL) match day 26 tie.

Odera’s goal from the spot after a Police player had handled in the box completed a City Stars comeback to complete a season double over Police.

The visitors went up first when a counter attack saw City Stars keeper Levis Opiyo hack down a Police player on the edge of the box. Skipper David Oluoch stepped up to plant home the resultant six-yarder in the seventh minute.

With minutes to the end of the first half, Peter Pinchez Opiyo was brought down by Police centre back George Gaunya after bursting into the box following his receipt of a long ball from City Stars backyard. He dusted himself up to score his maiden goal for City Stars sending the teams’ level at 1-1 heading to the break.

The win margin could have been bigger had the outstanding Davis Agesa not been denied by Police custodian Juma no less than on three occasions – twice following perfect crosses from right winger Azizi Okaka.

The Toyoyo win was the first ever while hosting Police adding on to a 3-2 first leg win in October last year.

With all spoils on offer from the penalty laden tie, City Stars moved to the 58-point mark from 24 matches to improve their gap over tenth placed Police to 25 points.

Simba wa Nairobi are now seven points clear of second placed Bidco United. While City Stars won on Saturday, Bidco went down 3-0 at home in Thika to visiting St. Joseph’s from Nakuru.

Lineups

Nairobi City Stars

23. Levis Opiyo, 8. Calvin Masawa (Captain), 4. Salim Abdalla, 22. Wycliffe Otieno, 28. Kevin Okumu, 2. Elvis Ojiambo, 10. Peter Opiyo, 25. David Gateri (15. John Kamau), 27. Azizi Okaka (12. Edwin Buliba), 32. Ezekiel Odera (19. Jimmy Bageya), 11. Davis Agesa

Coach: Sanjin Alagic

Unused subs: 16. Jacob Osano, 17. Noah Abich. 3. Eric Ochieng, 5. Wesley Onguso

Yellow cards; Davis Agesa x2 (red card), Elvis Ojiambo

Kenya Police

37. Reuben Juma, 25. Michael Anyonga, 24. George Gaunya, 29. Philip Ochieng, 26. Steve Baraza, 22. Samson Ndungu, 6. Martin Mutua, 77. Soita Silicho, 7. David Oluoch, 20. Alvin Mang’eni, 35. Hillary Ojwang

Subs: Vincent Odhiambo, 2. Ambrose Kula, 21. Clinton Kinanga, 12. Peter Njoroge, 65. Said Jillo, 14. Peter Mwaura, 17. Abbas Khadeyo

Coach: Charles Omondi

29 Feb 2020
NCS, Team News Permalink

‘Çhumsy’, Ojiambo back against Police

February 29, 2020

Up to eight changes have been made to the squad that lost out 3-1 to Coast Stima in the last Betika Super League (BSL) encounter as Nairobi City lineups against Kenya Police in a round 25 game at Camp Toyoyo, Jericho on Saturday 29 February 2020 starting 1pm.

While four players are elevated to the starting lineup another four join the dugout.

Notable inclusion is spirited Kevin ‘Chumsy’ Okumu who reclaims his right back position after sitting out three games against Vihiga United, Bidco United and Coast Stima. He sends Edwin Buliba to the bench.

Suspension

Elvis Ojiambo who lasted the bench in the last BSL game is back for a start in place of field skipper Anthony Muki Kimani who is suspended due accumulation of five yellow cards.

David Gateri who also missed the last game due to an illness starts on the left win ahead of Jimmy Bageya who drops to the bench.

Davis Agesa, a second half substitute against Coast Stima takes up the out-and-out strikers’ role in place of Gambian sharpshooter Ebrima Sanneh who has been frozen from the game due to a nagging knee injury.

AWOL

Defensive mid Charles Otieno Oduro and Oliver Maloba who came on as substitutes against Coast Stima are both out of the match day squad.

While Oduro was forced out due to a nagging knee injury, Maloba misses out after going AWOL from the club for the past three weeks. His whereabouts are still unknown.

Vincent Otieno, a bencher from the last game is under the doctor’s scanner and was rendered unavailable for the Police game.

Overall team skipper Noah Abich returns for a game, albeit off the bench. He leads experienced Eric Ochieng and Wesley Onguso to the observers bench. Joining them is returning left footer John Kamau.

Starting XI against Police: 23. Levis Opiyo, 8. Calvin Masawa, 4. Salim Abdalla, 22. Wycliffe Otieno, 28. Kevin Okumu, 2. Elvis Ojiambo, 10. Peter Opiyo, 25. David Gateri, 27. Azizi Okaka, 32. Ezekiel Odera, 11. Davis Agesa

Subs: 16. Jacob Osano, 17. Noah Abich. 12. Edwin Buliba, 3. Eric Ochieng, 15. John Kamau, 19. Jimmy Bageya, 5. Wesley Onguso

28 Feb 2020
NCS, Team News Permalink

City Stars seek elusive home win over Police

February 28, 2020

Betika Super League (BSL) log leaders Nairobi City Stars will host Kenya Police for only the fourth time in four years on Saturday 29 February 2020 at Camp Toyoyo, Jericho starting 1pm.

22 points separates the two teams as City Stars, the Simba wa Nairobi, heads to the game with a 55-point haul from 23 games compared to Kenya Police who are placed tenth in the 19-team standings with 33 points from 24 games.

Records

The disparity won’t be a concern for Police as they have a knack of scooping points from City Stars while away. They are yet to lose when visiting City Stars.

In their first ever encounter in 2017, the season City Stars sampled the second-tier league after relegation, Police walloped City Stars 3-0. In the next two encounters hosted by City Stars in 2018 and 2019 Police forced identical 1-1 logjams.

Form

Police comes to the game with an envious record and are unbeaten in six games played in 2020 all in the second leg in games. The record reads three wins and as many draws. A win and two consecutive draws define their last three away games.

City Stars on their part head to the game on the back of a 3-1 home defeat to Coast Stima at the same Toyoyo that brought an end to their four-game winning streak in 2020.

Police is the team they eye for a quick recovery back to their old stride.

First leg

In early October City Stars travelled to Karuturi in Naivasha and nicked Police 3-2 for their first ever win from seven encounters.

Police had the game early in Karuturi with an Arvine Adoyo goal inside quarter an hour off a backline blunder.

Goals from skipper Anthony Muki Kimani – his first since returning to the club ten years later, trademark header from Gambian Ebrima Sanneh and Salim Abdalla’s maiden goal handed City Stars a lead they maintained all the way despite the hosts adding a second consolation through James Gachoka.

Which way

How will I pun put? As the records states for Police or direction of the first leg? Be at Toyoyo or follow the proceedings via our social media handles; twitter, FB and/or IG.

26 Feb 2020
NCS, Team News Permalink

City Stars to host Police at Toyoyo

February 26, 2020

The venue will once again be Camp Toyoyo when Nairobi City Stars takes on Kenya Police in a Betika Super League (BSL) round 25 match on Saturday 29 February 2020 starting 1pm.

The game was initially planned for Hope Centre in Kawangware but once again Toyoyo was preferred as it where the club has been training at least five days a week since October last year.

The upcoming Police clash will be the first for City Stars in the Super League since uncharacteristically going down 3-1 to Coast Stima three weeks ago.

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