David Gateri
David Gateri

Gateri elevated against AP

Winger David Gateri starts ahead of Jimmy Bageya as Nairobi City Stars lineup against Administration Police (AP) in a National Super League (NSL) match day 18 at Camp Toyoyo on Sunday 7 December 2019 starting 2pm EAT.

That’s the only major change from the last game against St. Joseph’s played last weekend at the same venue.

For the 13th straight game, Wycliffe ‘Wiki’ Otieno and Salim ‘Shitu’ Abdalla will pair up as the centre backs to shield keeper Levis ‘Lovae’ Opiyo. The two have been trusted by head coach Sanjin Alagic since end of September 2019.

In the upcoming game Calvin Masawa is in at left back for the recuperating Wesley Onguso as Kevin Chumsy’ Okumu maintains his place at right back.

Skipper Anthony Kimani, Oliver Maloba and the on-form Davis Agesa all maintain their starting places.

Lineup: 23. Levis Opiyo, 8. Calvin Masawa, 4. Salim Abdalla, 22. Wycliffe Otieno, 28. Kevin Okumu, 3. Charles Otieno, 2. Elvis Ojiambo, 30. Anthony Kimani (Captain), 21. Oliver Maloba, 25. David Gateri, 11. Davis Agesa,

Subs. 1. Ronny Kagunzi, 19. Jimmy Bageya, 16. Vincent Otieno, 26. Ebrima Sanneh, 17. Noah Abich, 13. Eric Ochieng, 12. Edwin Buliba

Fact File: Nairobi City Stars vs AP

It’s been two draws and a loss for AP in the last three encounters that Administration Police (AP) has hosted Nairobi City Stars in the past three years in the National Super League (NSL).

On Saturday 7 December 2019, AP, yet to beat City Stars as hosts, will invite Simba wa Nairobi to the Camp Toyoyo in a round 18 tie starting 2pm EAT.

In July 2017, in their first ever meet in the NSL, a relegated City Stars hit AP 2-0. In April 2018 the two shared spoils in a 1-1 draw and in their last encounter in May 2019, it was 2-2 stalemate.

That game was as good as lost for City Stars till talisman Ebrima Sanneh, the hit man from Gambia, buried a 93rd minute header to level matters and deny the hosts a win as he finished the game with a brace.

Heading to the game AP is placed 15th in the 19-team NSL log with 15 points, a whole of 25 behind table toppers City Stars.

AP vs City Stars; Head to head records

Sat, 07/12/19 AP 14 : 00 Nairobi City Stars

Mon, 06/05/19 AP 2 – 2 Nairobi City Stars

Sun, 03/02/19 Nairobi City Stars 1 – 1 AP

Sun, 09/09/18 Nairobi City Stars 1 – 2 AP

Sun, 22/04/18 AP 1 – 1 Nairobi City Stars

Mon, 13/11/17 Nairobi City Stars 1 – 1 AP

Wed, 12/07/17 AP 0 – 2 Nairobi City Stars

Nairobi City Stars
Kevin Okumu preparing for a past game for City Stars in Karuturi, Naivasha in mid 2019

AP tie bought forward

Nairobi City Stars match day 18 National Super League (NSL) game against Administration Police (AP) will be played a day earlier, on Saturday 7 December 2019 and not Sunday 8 December 2019 as earlier planned. The venue for the game remains the same – at Camp Toyoyo, Jericho. It will start at 2pm EAT.

What forms part of the reason for the changes is that AP has a rescheduled match day 1 game gainst Modern Coast Rangers that will be played at Camp Toyoyo on Wednesday 11 December, 2019 starting 3pm.

FKF Competitions Department confirms the same as the reasons for the shift; “Kindly note that owing to Administration Police FC mid-week fixture on Wednesday, 11th December 2019, the above-mentioned match (against City Stars) has been rescheduled and the same shall now be played as follows;

Match No. 179 Administration Police FC vs Nairobi City Stars FC
Saturday, 7th December 2019
2:00 PM, Camp Toyoyo

With a game in hand, AP is 15th in the now 19-team standings with 15 points, 25 behind leaders Nairobi City Stars.

Northern Wanderers
City Stars vs Northern Wanderers at Camp Toyoyo on Sat 28 Sept 2019. City Stars won 6-0

Northern Wanderers results nullified, including 6-0 win by City Stars

Football Kenya Federation (FKF) has nullified all results in the 2019/2020 National Super League (NSL) involving Northern Wanderers who have since been expelled from the league after disbanding recently.

This is as per a communication from FKF’s Leagues and competitions committee sent to NLS clubs on Tuesday 3 December 2019.

As a result, Nairobi City Stars 6-0 win over Northern Wanderers back on Saturday 28 September 2019 at Camp Toyoyo is null and void. In that game David Gateri scored a brace while Ebrima Sanneh, Oliver Maloba, Kevin Okumu and Jimmy Bageya added a goal each.

The same will apply to all results by teams that had played them including an 8-0 win by Nairobi Stima during Northern Wanderers maiden league game on 1st September 2019 at Camp Toyoyo.

Northern Wanderers had featured in 10 games this season – losing all – then threw in the towel. However, weeks later, the team played a match in Eldoret under it’s former name Eldoret Youth and drew 1-1 with Shabana for their first points of the season. Thereafter all their games were suspended till the most recent call from FKF.

At the same time FKF has confirmed the team will not be allowed to participate in the league under its former name Eldoret Youth.

In reaching the call, FKF states that Eldoret Youth ceased to exist and the club, upon their request, was replaced in the FKF National Super League 2019/20 season by Northern Wanderers.

Northern Wanderers communicated the dissolution of the club to the FKF Secretariat and as such, the request by the club to revert the league’s slot to Eldoret Youth cannot be granted.

Based on the FKF rules guiding Club Licensing, Name and Ownership as well those on Fixtures Management and Fulfillment, the club stands expelled from the league.

Rule 8.1.6 on clubs denotes that:

No team will be allowed to sell its slot in a league and relocate its home base unless such a move is sanctioned by the FKF National Executive Committee on the recommendation of the FKF National Leagues & Competitions Committee and the Respective FKF branch under whose jurisdiction the team is based.

It must be noted that a Club’s entitlement to participate in a league will depend principally on sporting merit. The sale of a franchise which is to the detriment of a league championship and results in changing headquarters, changing the name and/or stakeholders, and furthermore is to the detriment of the integrity of sports competition, must be prohibited

In accordance with rule 3.1.13 of the regulations governing Kenyan Football, ALL the league results involving Northern Wanderers FC in the NSL 2019/20 season be nullified.

The rule states;

In case of withdrawal and/or deliberate refusal to honor engagements the club shall be confirmed demoted and may be subject to further disciplinary action.

If a club withdraws or is dismissed /demoted from a competition of the league format when it has played less than 50% of the league, the results involving the withdrawn or dismissed club shall be nullified.

In view of the above, City Stars lead at the top of the now 19-team standings is reduced from 43 to 40 points.

Simba wa Nairobi however maintains a six-point gap over second placed Nairobi Stima whose tally has also been cut from 37 to 34 points.

Bidco United and Vihiga United who were yet to play Northern Wanderers remain on 32 points too maintain third and fourth places, respectively.

NSL transfer dates revealed

Want to re-tweak your squad after the first leg of the 2019/2020 National Super League (NSL) season? This will only be possible over a 31-day period from Wed 1 – Fri 31 January 2020.

This follows a confirmation by Football Kenya Federation (FKF) who are the overseers of the NSL.

A communique to all NSL clubs on Monday 2 December 2019, FKF’s Competitions Department once again reiterates the transfers will be done electronically via the Data Transfer Matching System (DTMS) that came into being during the last transfer window from Mon 1st July – Mon 2 September 2019.

“We wish to inform you that the FKF Mid-Season Transfer Window for the 2019/2020 League Season will open on Wednesday, 1st January 2020 and close on Friday, 31st January 2020,”

“Kindly note that all Transfers will be processed electronically through the FIFA Domestic Transfer Matching System (DTMS) as well as on the Registration platform, Kenya Connect.”

During the last transfer window, City Stars roped in ten fresh faces and resigned another two former players to replace 16 that were released at the end of the transitional 2018/19 season.

Any changes to the current squad will be made known during the upcoming window confirmed by FKF.