For only the fourth time in their premiership history, Nairobi City Stars were able to string four straight wins after seeing off a tough Kakamega Homeboyz 1-0 on Saturday 19 June 2021 in Ruaraka.
In the round 21 game, Nicholas Kipkirui’s 63rd-minute goal, his first for Simba wa Nairobi in the premier league, was the difference that added on to three recent second leg wins over Sofapaka (3-0), Kariobangi Sharks, and Western Stima (both ended 2-1).
?| @NrbCityStars move to 6th place on the log after the win against @FcHomeboyz #CityvsHomeboyz#BKPL pic.twitter.com/rPeuKGrS7V
— Betking Kenya Premier League (@Officialfkfpl) June 19, 2021
In their previous 12 straight seasons in the premier league between 2004 and 2016, City Stars only managed to clock four contiguous wins on just three occasions.
Robert Matano was the first Coach to achieve the streak of four wins in a row back in 2006 when he led City Stars, then known as World Hope, to wins over Mathare Youth (3-0), Tusker (1-0), Homegrown (1-0) and Coast Stars (2-1) in match days 3 to 6.
The second such streak was in the 2008 season under coach John Bobby Ogola when the team, in their final season under the name World Hope, won games against Chemelil Sugar (1-0), Tusker (2-0), Mathare United (1-0) and Mathare Youth (1-0) in match days 15-18.
Coach Gideon Ochieng matched Bobby’s streak in the 2012 season with wins over AFC Leopards (3-0), Western Stima (1-0), Thika United (3-2, then 1-0) in match days 13-16.
Sanjin Alagic now becomes the fourth coach, and the first foreigner, to achieve the rare fete by Matano, Ogola, and Ochieng.
Prior to the latest four triumphs, Sanjin had masterminded three straight wins in February and March after seeing off Zoo FC (2-1), Western Stima, and Mathare United with identical 2-0 wins.
“We were learning the ropes in the first leg, we took in hard lessons, identified the weak areas that we have since fixed, and we are now glad to see the team rise to the point of matching some old rare records.” said club CEO Patrick Korir
Sanjin now has his work cut out, to seek an unprecedented fifth premier league win in a row, when City Stars takes on Nzoia Sugar in the next game on Thur 24 June in Sudi.