Nairobi City Stars will take on log leaders Tusker on Saturday 20 March 2021 without dependable midfielder Peter Pinchez Opiyo due to suspension.
Opiyo, incidentally City Stars top scorer this season with four goals, was slapped with a fifth yellow card this season in the last game against AFC Leopards.
The card was earned in the 61st minute after a challenge on a Leopards’ player deep in the City Stars territory.
“That card really disturbed me. I didn’t expect to get one but hey, that’s the nature of the game. You have to be prepared to miss some matches.” said Opiyo
For head coach Sanjin Alagic, his absence is a big blow but there is no choice but to dive into the brewers game without his lynchpin.
“Absence of Pinchez in the match against Tusker, the leading team in table, it’s big blow for us, because he’s such a important player in our team. When you play against the best teams in the league definitely you need all your best players in the squad,”
“But I don’t want to whine about that, we will try to prepare ourselves in the best possible way and get ready for the match to achieve a positive result.” said Sanjin
Thus far, Pinchez had clocked the full 90 minutes in all the 15 games into the season and he emerged as City Stars most valuable Player in four games against Wazito, KCB, Ulinzi Stars and Kakamega Homeboyz.
He scored in three straight January games against Wazito, Posta Rangers and Ulinzi Stars, then added a fourth against Western Stima in March.
Nairobi City Stars players celebrate a second goal by Peter Opiyo as Simba wa Nairobi beat Western Stima at Moi Stadium on Wed 23 Feb 2021 in a round 13 Premier League game