04 Mar 2022
NCS, Team News Permalink
John Amboko, City Stars
John Amboko on the touchline. He took over coaching reigns at Nairobi City Stars from mid-July 2021 after the expiry of Sanjin Alagics contract at the end of June 2021

Amboko on why City Stars is on the rise

March 4, 2022

Club legend John Amboko has spelled out the reasons why Nairobi City Stars is a shining star this season.

His sentiments come a time when Simba wa Nairobi is second on the 18-team log with 35 points, five off the top, after 19 rounds of play.

The club stalwart says office support, team chemistry, and the leadership of head coach Nicholas Muyoti, all combined, are the determinants for the good show.

“Currently, I can say that this season is one of the best so far based on the performance of the team,” said Amboko

“The team is well motivated and this is brought about by the support being received from the sponsors and management,”

“The chemistry among the players is evident as they have played together for long,”

“Under the leadership of our head coach (Nicholas Muyoti), the entire technical bench is working very hard and approaching each game with the seriousness it deserves.” added the former stopper and team captain

Save for the year 2013 when he turned out for AFC Leopards, Amboko has been in the ranks of Nairobi City Stars from when it was known as World Hope back in 2003 to 2017 as a player.

He turned to coach thereafter and has been part of the clubs’ journey out of the topflight, and back up in 2020.

Nairobi City Stars promoted

Amboko recently upgraded his coaching badge from CAF ‘C’ to CAF ‘B’ License.

Amboko graduates with CAF ‘B’ Diploma License

Amboko, City Stars

Nairobi City Stars coach John Amboko during the opening of CAF B course at KISE on Mon 6 Sept 2021

John Amboko, City Stars

John Amboko is sandwiched by former coach Sanjin Alagic whom he took over from in mid-July 2021. To the right is assistant coach Noah Abich

City Stars, Sanjin, Amboko

Arthur Museve, Sanjin Alagic, John Amboko preparing for team training in March 2020 at Camp Toyoyo

03 Mar 2022
NCS, Team News Permalink
Jamaica
Nairobi City Stars striker Vincent Otieno Okoth aka Jamaica in a past training in Oct 2021

Friendly Fire: Liberty Sports 1 Nairobi City Stars 6

March 3, 2022

Nairobi City Stars came from behind to see off Liberty Sports 6-1 in a friendly match played at the Gems Cambridge School grounds on Wednesday 2 March 2022.

Boniface Wambete capitalized on an uncleared ball to bang home the opener for Liberty Sports within three minutes of kick-off.

Mike Madoya then leveled for Simba wa Nairobi in the 19th minute after pouncing on a delivery from right-back Kevin Chumsy Okumu.

Augustine Kuta, off another Chumsy delivery, scored in the 44th minute to hand City Stars a 2-1 advantage at the break.

Immediately after the restart, Rowland Makati extended the lead with a goal after a poor clearance from the Liberty backline.

That opened the floor for Vincent Otieno to grab his brace in the 51st and 60th minutes. Oliver Maloba was to add the final one in the 71st minute off an assist from Nicholas Kipkirui.

The match handed play time to players who missed out on the opportunity to feature in the last league game against Mathare United, or those that did not clock full minutes, ahead of the next game against Bidco United on Saturday 6 March 2022.

“Credit goes to Liberty Sports who handed us a very good and competitive friendly. They had a good game approach and have good players but were only outdone due to experience,” said head coach Nicholas Muyoti after the game

The friendly handed stopper  Wycliffe Wiked Otieno his first game since August 2021  marking and end to months of rehab due to a dislocated ankle. He came on as a sub.

Lineups

Liberty Sports: Edward Apuk, Adrian Tarik, Bravin Musoti, Alex Karani, Godwill Ngeiwo, Henry Obaca, Voti Mwazaraku, Clinton Machaka, Alpliric Omondi, Kenyang Marachi, Boniface Wambete

Subs: Boniface Odhiambo, Benson Wasike, Boniface Musayi, Emma Emmanuel, Steve Okinyi, Joel Gaciri, Enoch Ouma, Dennis Kinai, Justin Mutai

Nairobi City Stars: Jacob Osano (Elvis Ochoro), Kevin Okumu, Salim Abdallah, Edwin Buliba, Augustine Kuta (Oliver Maloba), Sven Yidah (Wycliffe Otieno), Charles Otieno, Michael Madoya (Rowland Makati), Rodgers Okumu (Nicholas Kipkirui), Davis Agesa (Vincent Otieno), Eric Ombija,

Coach: Nicholas Muyoti

02 Mar 2022
NCS, Team News Permalink
Makati, Nairobi City Stars
Rowland Makati in a past friendly with Nairobi City Stars against Posta Rangers at the Jamhuri Park

Makati bides his time

March 2, 2022

Halfway through the 2021/22 FKF Premier League season, youngin Rowland Makati has made the squad once – against KCB – but is still yet to make his debut in the top flight.

Against KCB, Makati, an attacking midfielder, was an unused substitute.

Makati in line for Premier League debut against KCB

He promises to stay focused while taking the learning curve;

“The season is going on very well for the team. Everyone is at their best and the competition for positions is really stiff,”

“I am not about to lose focus because of the competition. I am focused and I know that my time (to play) will come. And when that day comes, I will not let go, it will be hard to bump me off the team,”

Makati, on a long-term contract with City Stars, spent the entire 2020/21 season on loan at the now-defunct National Super League side Nairobi Stima.

01 Mar 2022
NCS, Team News Permalink
Osano
Jacob Osano at Thika Stadium in October 2021

First premier season exploits spur Osano

March 1, 2022

Tending goal in 17 of 19 games played so far on his FKF Premier league debut season excites goalkeeper  Jacob Osano who is now yearning for more.

Osano, in his third season with City Stars, missed out on game one this season but made his debut in game two against promoted Kenya Police with a clean sheet as Simba wa Nairobi registered a 2-0 win.

That set the tone for his season as he went on to start and complete the next 16 games posting a total of eight clean sheets.

Osano acknowledges his fete stems from teamwork and competition from the other members of his department

“It’s a nice feeling since it is my first season playing for City Stars in the top tier league,”

“Managing eight clean sheets in 17 matches to help the team sit at second spot at the moment is a great achievement that comes through hard work and team support. The competition level in the team makes everything possible,” he added

Last season, Osano made the squad 18 times as an understudy of Stephen Njunge who nailed all 33 games.

Thus far, Osano, a former Wazito, KCB and Nairobi Stima keeper, has clocked 1,530 minutes which amounts to 50% of achievable minutes in the season.

OSano, Njunge

Nairobi City Stars goalkeepers Jacob Osano (Golden Poppy) and Steve Njunge (red) warming up ahead of a round 22 premier league game against Nzoia United in Narok on Friday 25 June 2021

Lead keeper Jacob Osano has resumed training after sitting out for a week due to sickness

City Stars

City vs Bidco at Thika Stadium on Sun 24 Oct 2021. City Stars won the game 2-0 to go top of the log

28 Feb 2022
NCS, Team News Permalink
Gogo Boys, City Stars
City Stars stopper Lennox Ogutu takes on a Gogo Boys during a friendly at Ligi Ndogo grounds on Mon 17 Jan 2022. The game ended 0-0

Debut goal ignites Lennox

February 28, 2022

Stopper Lennox Ogutu marked his return to the Nairobi City Stars starting lineup with a debut goal in the 3-0 dispatch of his former side Mathare United in Thika on Saturday 26 February 2022.

Lennox had missed out on playtime in eight straight games but marked his re-entry to starting lineup with a header on 50 minutes off a Timothy Noor Ouma corner.

Unmarked, Ogutu rose highest to power home the opener for a very significant goal.

Till his goal, City Stars had never scored directly from a corner since returning to the top flight last season.

The excitement of scoring was too much for Lennox that he celebrated vehemently against his former side.

“It had been long since I scored a Premier League goal and I had been searching. This one was memorable that I had to celebrate,”

“The goal is exciting and I hope to score more for City Stars in games to come,” said Lennox

His last premiership goal was back on 24 Feb 2021 for Mathare United at Kasarani Annex in a 1-1 stalemate with Wazito.

Lennox’ goal set the turnaround tone as Ezekiel Odera and Nicholas Kipkirui followed up on the goal with two more in the 64th and 84th minutes.

He became the third stopper at City Stars to score this season following up on Salim Shitu Adballa and Kenedy Vidic Onyango who scored in 4-0 and 3-1 wins over Vihiga Bullets in Ruaraka and over Wazito in Thika, respectively.

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