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.

24 Feb 2020
NCS, Team News Permalink
Samson Otieno
Samson Otieno receiving kit on behalf of Nairobi City Stars from FKF PResident Nick Mwendwa and Betika CEO John Mbatia

Betika hands BSL clubs playing kit

February 24, 2020

Nairobi City Stars and the other 18 teams taking part in the second tier National Super League all received two sets of uniform and as many footballs from leading betting firm Betika at Camp Toyoyo, Jericho on Monday 24 February 2020.

The function was graced by Betika Commercial Head John Mbatia and flanked by Football Kenya Federation (FKF) top brass led by President Nick Mwendwa, Vice President Doris Petra and CEO Barry Otieno.

While receiving the goodies from Betika, City Stars coordinator Samson Otieno said;

“We are happy recipients of the kit that we can not only use for game days but also for warm up and training,”

“We appreciate what Betika is doing to the teams in the second tier league as this follows on an earlier package of Kshs 750,000 to all teams,”

“We also acknowledge the fact that they have decided to top up on that initial token with a further Kshs 100,000. What they give to clubs may seem little to some but to us we understand that big things initially come in small packages.” he added

While Mbatia reiterated Betika’s commitment in their support at the NSL level and lower with their Betika na Community initiatives, Mwendwa once again appreciated their interest in local game as he confirmed FKF’s support in their quest to change the face of football.

The token of Kshs 100,000 per club added up to a collective total of Kshs 2 millions for all teams in the league which is not part of the Kshs 90 million deal over three years entered late last year.

24 Feb 2020
NCS, Team News Permalink

Down to four points

February 24, 2020

Bidco United took full advantage of Nairobi City Stars inactivity at the weekend to close down the gap atop the National Super League (NSL) to four points after seeing off host Modern Coast Rangers 1-0 on Saturday at the Serani Sports ground, Mombasa.

The Mombasa win brought the Thika based Bidco United to the 51-point mark from 24 games and within sights of City Stars 55 points.

The Modern Coast Rangers – Bidco game was one of nine played at the weekend.

City Stars sat out the weekend as their planned opponents Northern Wanderers who were expelled from the league in early December 2019.

In notable results of the weekend, Nairobi Stima beat Mt. Kenya United 7-2 at Karuturi on Sunday to move into third above Vihiga United who were held to a 1-1 draw by host St. Joseph’s at Afraha Stadium on Saturday.

Kenya Police, City Stars opponents next wekeend, had a convincing 3-1 win over FC Talanta in Naivasha on Saturday.

Summary of round 25 results

Saturday 22 Feb 2020

Modern Coast Rangers 0-1 Bidco United (Serani Sports Club, 3 pm)

Kenya Police 3-1 FC Talanta (Karuturi Sports Ground, 1 pm)

St. Joseph’s Youth 1-1 Vihiga United (Afraha Stadium, 3 pm)

Administration Police 0-1 Vihiga Bullets (Camp Toyoyo, 3 pm)

Sunday 23 Feb 2020

Muranga Seal 1-1 Coast Stima (St. Sebastian Park, 3 pm)

Nairobi Stima 7-2 Mt. Kenya United (Karuturi Sports Ground, 3 pm)

Kibera Black Stars 3-2 Shabana (Camp Toyoyo, 3 pm)

Ushuru 1-2 Fortune Sacco (Camp Toyoyo, 1 pm)

Monday 24 Feb 2020

APS Bomet vs Migori Youth (Kericho Green Stadium, 3 pm)

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