Forward Davis Beast Agesa and stopper Kenedy Vidic Onyango were named to the Team of the Week at the close of the second set of the games in the 2021/22 FKF Premier League that concluded on Sunday 17 October 2021.
Agesa was bullish accounting for a direct assist and second assist that led to goals by Timothy Ouma and Ezekiel Odera in City Stars 2-0 dispatch of promoted Kenya Police at Kasarani on Saturday.
After the game, Agesa – named MVP in the game – was nominated for player of the week
David Agesa is your man of the match after creating two goals for City Stars in their 2-0 win over new entrants Police F.C#FKFPLpic.twitter.com/wUzu8e1yVc
Two first-half goals by Timothy Ouma and Ezekiel Odera were enough for Nairobi City Stars to disarm Kenya Police 2-0 at Kasarani Annex on Saturday 16 October 2021.
Two first-half goals by Timothy Ouma and Ezekiel Odera were enough for Nairobi City Stars to disarm Kenya Police 2-0 at Kasarani Annex on Saturday 16 October 2021.
— Official Nairobi City Stars Fc (@NrbCityStars) October 16, 2021
Davis Agesa and Nicholas Kipkirui provided the assists that led to goals in the 18th and 36th minutes.
With the win, City Stars ended a four-game winless streak in the premier league from last season to hand new coach Nicholas Muyoti his maiden Premier League win at Simba wa Nairobi.
Osano debut
In City Stars goal was keeper Jacob Osano who, on his premier league debut, managed a clean sheet.
Osano had been the understudy to Steve Njunge who clocked all 33 games last season, and the season opener against Sofapaka.
First-half
Police made the first statement of the game when, within the first minute, had the ball bounce off the upright after Cliffton Miheso curled a freekick from outside the box.
City Stars had a response 11 minutes later when marauding Davis Beast Agesa got into the box only to fire wide after receiving a through pass from Ezekiel Odera.
Three minutes later he had the ball straight at Police keeper Brian Reuben as Simba wa Nairobi kept prodding the home team.
Just a minute later the pressure counted as Agesa – later named MVP – turned provider with a splitting pass to Timothy Babu Ouma who fired home after skipping past a number of Police players.
David Agesa is your man of the match after creating two goals for City Stars in their 2-0 win over new entrants Police F.C#FKFPLpic.twitter.com/wUzu8e1yVc
His opener on the day was his second straight premier league goal following on his maiden top-flight goal against Sofapaka in the season opener three weeks back.
The goal came after City Stars keeper Jacob Osano, on his premiership debut, stopped Alvin Mangeni’s close-range effort. He then initiated the ball that led to the goal.
Seven minutes after Babu‘s goal, Mangeni fired a ball across the goal as Police looked to level matters early. It flew wide.
Five minutes later, John Mark Makwata, on his Police debut, hammered the side netting off a Miheso corner.
Seven minutes later City Stars doubled the lead when Odera had a rising shot into the net after receiving a placement from Nicholas Kipkirui inside the box. Kipkirui had picked up the ball from Agesa who brought in a cross from the right.
At the stroke of halftime, Makwata skied a ball as Police looked to grab a consolation before the breather.
Second half
At the start of the second half, either side made their first changes. Police benched their towering skipper Okiki Arogo to bring on Charles Ouma as Collins Lusaka came on for Mangeni.
Simba wa Nairobi on their part introduced flyer Rodgers Okuse Okumu for Odera who picked an injury in the first half.
A minute after the restart Kipkirui got to the end of a good pass and fired goalward only for the ball to end up with the keeper.
At the hour mark, thereabout, Okuse did all he needed to do, but while at the penalty area chose to loop past the keeper only for the ball to be cleared before it crossed the line. It was a near-miss that could have turned the scores to a rout.
Police also pulled out imposing offensive player Clinton Kinanga two minutes to the hour mark for known scorer David Oluoch and later on in the 74th minute handed John ‘Softie’ Ndirangu his debut as he replaced injured Leslie Otieno.
But as the changes came for the law enforcers, it is City Stars that looked more dangerous with two attempts from field skipper Anthony Muki Kimani. Twice he fired out a cut back from Ouma then skied a set-piece.
City Stars then ran down the clock with the addition of Erick Jibaba Ombija and Charles Chale Otieno for Agesa – later named man of the match -, and Ouma.
Ombija had a shot on goal late in the game only for it to end up straight at the keeper in what turned out to be the final act of the game.
With the first three points of the season, City Stars flew off the red zone, leaving Police behind, to the top half of the log.
Next up for City Stars is the third season game against Wazito at Thika Stadium on Thursday 21 October 2021 starting 3 pm.
Kenya Police: 31. Juma Reuben, 26. Steve Baraza, 2. Faustine Ojiambo, 6. Bernard Omondi, 14. Aroro Okiki-captain (12. Charles Ouma-46), 3. Silicho Soita, 24. Leslie Otieno (10. John Ndirangu-74), 17. Alvin Mangeni (13. Collins Lusaka-46), 23. Cliffton Miheso, 30. John Mark Makwata, 21. Clinton Kinanga (7. David Oluoch-58)
Nairobi City Stars: 16. Jacob Osano, 19. Kevin Okumu, 4. Salim Abdalla, 25. Kenedy Onyango, 26. Dennis Wanjala, 18. Sven Yidah, 30. Anthony Kimani-captain, 11. Davis Agesa (24. Erick Ombija-78), 17. Nicholas Kipkirui, 20. Timothy Ouma (3. Charles Otieno-84, 32. Ezekiel Odera (7. Rogers Okumu-46)
Unused subs: 23. Stephen Njunge, 8. Calvin Masawa, 5. Mike Madoya, 9. Vincent Otieno Okoth, 2. Elvis Noor Ojiambo, 25. Lennox Ogutu
Coach: Nicholas Muyoti
Yellow cards:
Kenya Police: 30. John Mark Makwata (36), 12. Charles Ouma (55),
Nairobi City Stars: 7. Rodgers Okumu (62), 24. Eric Ombija (80), 18. Sven Yidah (88)
Head coach Nicholas Muyoti has tweaked his squad for the second game of the season against Kenya Police at Kasarani Annex on Saturday 16 October 2021 starting 3 pm.
Defender Edwin Buliba as well as midfielders John Kamau and Peter Opiyo, all of whom were part of the season opener against Sofapaka in Wundayi, take a rest for the first-ever meeting with Police in the top flight.
Their places have been taken up by stopper Lennox Ogutu, Michael Madoya, and Davis Agesa.
Ogutu and Madoya, signed from Mathare United and Tusker, respectively, are both in line to make their Simba wa Nairobi debuts in the upcoming clash.
Nairobi City Stars squad vs Kenya Police
Goalkeepers: 16. Jacob Osano, 23. Steve Njunge
Defenders: 4. Salim Abdalla, 8. Calvin Masawa, 19. Kevin Okumu, 25. Kenedy Onyango, 26. Dennis Wanjala, 27. Lennox Ogutu
Midfielders: 2. Elvis Noor Ojiambo, 3. Charles Otieno, 5. Mike Madoya, 7. Rodgers Okumu, 18. Sven Yidah, 20. Timothy Ouma, 30. Anthony Kimani,
Strikers: 9. Vincent Otieno Okoth, 11. Davis Agesa, 17. Nicholas Kipkirui, 24. Erick Ombija, 32. Ezekiel Odera
Not considered: 6. Ronney Kola, 22. Wycliffe Otieno (both injured) 1. Elvis Ochoro, 10. Peter Opiyo, 12. Edwin Buliba, 14. Rowland Makati, 15. John Kamau, 21. Oliver Maloba, 28. Herit Mungai, 29. Ebrima Sanneh
Nairobi City Stars returned to the Kenyan Premier, for the first time in four years, to feature in the 2020/21 topflight season.
Summed up, here’s Simba wa Nairobi’s season in numbers:
0 (zero)
Points collected from Wazito and KCB all season.
Number of goals scored from corners, and conceded
1
Number of goals scored by stopper Salim Shitu Abdallah during the first game of the second leg as City Stars whipped Sofapaka 3-0
Times Shitu was named Player of the Week; after round 18 game against Sofapaka. He was the only City Stars player to be named Player of the Week this season.
Points earned from Bidco United and outgoing champions Gor Mahia
Times Sven Yidah made it to the team of the week (round 5)
2
Goals scored by fullbacks Bolton Omwenga and Kevin Chumsy Okumu, as well as roving forwards Oliver Maloba and Rodgers Okuse Okumu
Penalties saved by keeper Stephen Njunge; against Nzoia Sugar in season opener and Kakamega Homeboyz in the second leg
Number of games Jimmy Bageya featured in during his sixth stint with the club. He exited in January
Points earned against Posta Rangers and Vihiga United
3
Number of MVP accolades earned by Kennedy Vidic Onyango
Starts by utility back Edwin Buliba. He completed two games on his debut Premier League season
Direct freekicks scored; by Peter Pinchez Opiyo (vs Ulinzi Stars) field skipper Anthony Muki Kimani (vs Tusker), Botlon Omwenga (vs Ulinzi Stars)
Times head coach Sanjin Alagic was named the coach of the week; after match days 18, 21 and 25
Points gathered from Kariobangi Sharks, AFC Leopards, Zoo FC, Mathare United, Kakamega Homeboyz and Sofapaka.
Most straight losses; match days 9-11 against Sofapaka (1-0), Kariobangi Sharks (2-1), Kakamega Homeboyz (2-0)
4
Goals scored by three of our strikers; Nicholas Kipkirui, Erick Ombija and Ezekiel Odera, as well as Muki
Number of MVP accolades earned by Muki, Shitu and Sven Yidah across the season. The second highest
Assists by Muki. Second highest
Times left-back Bolton Omwenga (rounds 18,20,25,29) and keeper Stephen Njunge (rounds 3, 13, 21, 28) made it to the team of the week
points scooped from eventual champions Tusker, Ulinzi Stars and Bandari
5
Times Peter Pinchez Opiyo was named MVP. The highest
Number of yellows collected by Pinchez, Shitu, Vidic, Chumsy and Muki
Number of 2-0 margin wins; vs Nzoia Sugar (H), Bandari (H), Mathare United (H), Ulinzi Stars (A)
Straight wins achieved at the start of the second leg. Was a new record never achieved in 12 previous premier league seasons between 2004 and, 2016.
Number of players who made their second premier league debut for City Stars; Maloba, Odera, overall team captain Calvin Masawa and Bageya – all of whom were part of the relegated team in 2016, as well as Muki who was returning to City Stars since 2009
6
Number of assists by bullish forward Davis Beast Agesa; one more than last season. The highest
Points collected in home and away games against Western Stima and Nzoia United
Teams City Stars met for the first time ever in the Premier League: Nzoia Sugar, Bidco United, Vihiga United, Zoo FC, Kariobangi Sharks and, Wazito.
7
Goals scores by Pinchez to emerge as the top scorer this season
Positional finish at the close of the season in the 17-team table
Number of games handled by John Amboko – the last set of games to season-end – after the exit of Sanjin Alagic due to expiry of his contract
Games earned by former Hakati striker Vincent Jamaica Otieno
8
Number of one-goal margin wins; 5 ended 2-1 [vs Zoo FC (H), Kariobangi Sharks (A), Western Stima (H), AFC Leopards (H) another three ended in 1-0 wins (vs Homeboyz (H), Nzoia Sugar (A), Tusker (A)]
Wins registered in 16 second leg games
9
Starts by teenager Timothy Noor Ouma aka Babu. He completed three games
Games completed by stopper Wycliffe Wiked Otieno and Davis Beast Agesa
Number of draws. Five ended as 1-1 [v Vihiga United (H), Posta Rangers (A), Ulinzi Stars (H), Bandari (A), Gor Mahia (H), and two each ended as 0-0 [vs Bidco United (A), Vihiga United (A)] and 2-2 [vs Tusker (H), Posta Rangers (H)]
Venues visited this season; Wundanyi-Taveta, Mbaraki-Mombasa, Moi Stadium-Kisumu, Bukhungu-Kakamega (once each), ASK Showground-Nakuru (twice), Narok Stadium (three times), Kasarani Annex and Utalii (seven times each) and Ruaraka (ten times)
Number of games City Stars failed to score; in five 1-0 losses to KCB (A), AFC Leopards (A), Sofapaka (A), Gor Mahia (A) and Wazito (A), and in 2-0 losses to Kakamega Homeboyz (A) & Mathare United (A), in 3-0 loss to KCB (H), 0-0 losses to Bidco United (A), Vihiga United (A)
11
Number of players that scored this season; Shitu, Omwenga, Chumsy (defenders), Sven, Maloba, Okuse, Pinchez, Muki (midfielders), Kipkirui, Ombija and Odera (strikers)
Clean sheets by keeper Stephen Njunge. The second best in the league
Starts earned by left back Herit Mungai. He completed nine
Games earned by striker Ebrima Sanneh who missed the first three months of the season due to ijury.
12
Number of players in the 30-man squad of the season that had no Premier League experience. 8 went on to make their bow
Wins amassed this season – two short of the tally of 14 – the highest ever in 13 premier league season achieved in the 2004/5.
15, 18 – number of times young keeper Elvis Ochoro and Jacob Osano, respectively, were named as reserves
22 – number of incomplete games by field skipper Muki. He started in 28 games but, as a tactic, exited in 21. He came on as a sub once.
24
Times Masawa stayed on the bench as a utility reserve. The most in the season
Times John Kamau was left out of the overall squad. he returned strongly to make the squad in the final six games of the season
25 – Average age of the squad that featured in the ended 2020/21 premier league season
29
Times Muki captained the team
Number of players used across the season
30 – Goals conceded this season: 3 freekicks (10%), 4 penalties (13.3%), 23 (76.7%) in open play
36 – Goals scored by 13 players. Distributed as follows; 1 own goal (2.8%), 3 freekicks (8.3%), 5 penalties (13.9%), 27 in open play (75%)
45 – Points amassed in the season from 12 wins and nine draws. Second best points haul since the 55 achieved over 38-games in the 2003-4 season
56 – Days apart from when City Stars played Tusker and Gor Mahia in match days 16 (20 Mar) and 17 (16 May). The long break was necessitated by coronavirus instigated lockdown
59 – number of bookings handed to players across the season; 56 yellow cards and 3 red cards
97% – Percentage of games earned by Vidic . He featured in 32 of 33 games only missing the one due to suspension. He clocked 2,868 minutes.
100% – Percentage of games earned by keeper Stephen Njunge. He featured in all 33 games – the only player to do so at City Stars – featuring in a record 2,970 minutes.
275 – Minutes clocked by defensive-mid Charles Chale Otieno across ten games on his debut season.
608 – Minutes clocked by roving winger Azizi Okaka in 12 games.
935 – Minutes clocked by teenager Timothy Noor Ouma, a Laiser Hill Alumnus, in 24 of 33 games on his debut season
1,012 – Minutes clocked by budding creative midfielder Elvis Noor Ojiambo across 25 games.
32,684-Cumulative minutes earned by 29 players in the season
500,000 (Kshs) – The bounty that was on the table had team finished in the top five
Out goes strikers Davis Agesa and Ebrima Sanneh, and in comes forward Vincent Otieno aka Jamaica and defender Wesley Onguso, for the season-ending clash against title-chasing KCB at Narok Stadium on Sunday 22 August 2021 starting 3 pm.
Those are the only changes from the squad that faced Posta Rangers – and forced a late 2-2 draw – in the penultimate game of the season last Saturday in Ruaraka.
From the squad that faced KCB in the second game of the season at Kasarani in December, and went on to lose 1-0, the changes are five.
Other than Onguso, defensive-mid Charles Otieno, left-footed John Kamau, and striker Erick Ombija are in for the game in places of Peter Opiyo, Oliver Maloba and Agesa who are all injured, and Aziz Okaka.
Nicholas Kipkirui who was not part of the Simba wa Nairobi setup then is the final addition to the first leg squad.
20-man squad to face KCB
Goalkeepers: 1. Elvis Ochoro (GK), 23. Steve Njunge (GK),
