Hosts Bidco United scored twice in the second half to see off Nairobi City Stars 2-0 in a 20th round FKF Premier League match in Thika Stadium on Saturday 5 March 2022.
A Peter Nzuki penalty nine minutes into the second half was followed by a ground shot by former City Stars player Jacob Onyango on 76 minutes as Bidco avenged a similar loss at the same venue during a first-leg tie in October 2022.
The penalty arose from a corner kick, and its awarding left City stars a baffled lot as it was due to very unclear circumstances.
Either side ended a man less after Ezekiel Odera and Geoffrey Gitau were slapped with red cards on 63 minutes for a scuffle four minutes earlier. It was City Stars first red card this season.
There was drama two minutes from time when City Stars forward Nicholas Kipkirui was hacked outside the 18 box, but landed in it.
Shockingly, a penalty was awarded – the first for City Stars this season – and Kipkirui went for it only for Bidco keeper Brian Opondo to keep it out. A rebound shot from Davis Agesa, who accompanied Kipkirui to the field of play at halftime, went out.
The referee called for a re-take following an infringement but once again, Opondo parried the ball, this time for an eventually fruitless corner.
Bidco hang on to the lead for a win that ended a six-game winless streak in the process ending City Stars’ seven-game winless run.
Within the first 10 minutes, Bidco United pinned City Stars with raid after raid keeping the defense line of Dennis Wanjala, Lennox Ogut, Kenedy Onyango, and Calvin Masawa busy.
In the 12th minute, Bidco had a corner floated by skipper Nzuki but it was wasted. 12 minutes later City Stars had their first corner but a Timothy Ouma delivery was cleared and a follow-up shot by skipper Anthony Muki Kimani flew wide.
In the 38th minute, Bidco wasted a freekick from outside the box and a follow-up ball into the box was blasted wide.
Bidco had two more attempts on goal thereafter; a freekick by Anthony Gathu and a header by David Orem, off a cross by Lambert Oyuga, but both sailed wide leaving the game settled at 0-0 at halftime.
On the restart, City Stars introduced Nicholas Kipkirui and Davis Agesa for John Kamau and Elvis Noor Ojiambo, respectively, as Bidco brought in Alex Juma for Emmanuel Mogaka.
Two minutes into the second half, City Stars had a corner forced by Agesa but a Timothy float into the box failed to get a connection.
Three minutes later, a shot on goal off a Jacob Onyango shot went wide but it set up the momentum that led to a freekick which yielded a corner from which the center referee Caroline Wanjala chose to award a penalty out of nothing. Nzuki scored for the hosts to take the lead in the 54th minute.
The protestation by City Stars soon after the dubious penalty call changed the dynamics of the game for Simba wa Nairobi. Peter Pinchez Opiyo’s word on the referee after the goal earned him a yellow card.
Soon after the goal, Bidco United introduced Batts Awita and Nelson Chieta for David Gateri and David Orem.
A minute later, Kipkirui was slapped with a yellow after protesting to a no foul call at the edge of the box after being brought down hard while going high for a ball.
Not too long after Gathu entered the caution list for blocking Muki from taking a freekick following up on an earlier one by Pinchez.
On 70 minutes, Babu had the best chance to bring City Stars level but his header for the far post got a fingertip from keeper Opondo before the ball got a clearance from the line.
The effort came three minutes after Njunge on the other end kept out a dangerous cross from the left at the far post for a fruitless corner.
On 75 minutes Pinchez was substituted by Oliver Maloba as Bidco brought in Lameck Oloo for Gathu.
Bidco keeper Opondo received a yellow a minute after the changes but it mattered little as the next moment, after a series of exchanges, Bidoc were 2-0 up after Onyango was not closed down atop the box. He fired at the far post to double the lead.
City Stars were to waste back-to-back corners before the arrival of Augustine Kuta for right-back Calvin Masawa.
Maloba injected the right pace up front but failed to nail the needed goals on two occasions after perfect deliveries from Babu.
In the dying minutes, Babu had a freekick that forced a fruitless corner as Lameck Oloo had a chip on City Stars goal fly wide.
Then came the moment when Kipkirui failed to place two penalties. One more action, that of a Kuta pass to Maloba in the box, who was shoved off the pitch, brought the game to an end.
With the win, Bidco United moved to the 23-point mark but remained 14th on the log as City Stars maintained the second spot with 35 points. Both have played 20 games.
Lineups
Bidco United: 35. Brian Opondo, 12. Lambert Otieno, Geoffrey Gitau, 18. Francis Oduor, 6. Kassim Mwinyi, 31. Peter Nzuki, Emmanuel Mogaka (Alex Juma-46), 2. Jacob Onyango, David Orem (20. Nelson Chieta-55), 30. Gathu Zachary (40. Lameck Oloo-75) , 25. David Gateri (11. Batts Awita-55).
Unused Subs: Ezekiel Owade, 15. Gabriel Wandera, Steven Okiro, 22. Stephen Obukui, 22. Stephen Waruru.
Coach: Anthony Akhulia
Nairobi City Stars: 23. Steve Njunge, 8. Calvins Masawa (29. Agustine Kuta-83), 25. Kennedy Onyango, 27. Lennox Ogutu, 26. Dennis Wanjala, 30.Anthony Kimani-captain, 10. Peter Opiyo (21. Oliver Maloba-74), 20. Timothy Ouma, 2. Elvis Noor (Davis Agesa-46), 15. John Kamau (17. Nicholas Kipkirui-46), 32. Ezekiel Odera
Unused subs: 1. Elvis Ochoro, 28. Herit Mungai, 19. Kevin Okumu, 3. Charles Otieno, 4. Salim Abdalla
Not considered: 5. Mike Madoya, 6. Ronney Kola, 7. Rodgers Okumu, 9. Vincent Otieno Okoth, 12. Edwin Buliba, 14. Rowland Makati, 16. Jacob Osano, 18. Sven Yidah, 22. Wycliffe Otieno, 24. Erick Ombija, 31. Mohammed Bajaber,
Coach: Nicholas Muyoti
Cautions
Bidco United: 30. Anthony Gathu (yellow-59), 35. Brian Opondo (yellow-75)
Nairobi City Stars: 25. Kenedy Onyango (yellow-40), 10. Peter Opiyo (yellow-54), 17. Nicholas Kipkirui (yellow-55), 32. Ezekiel Odera (red-63)
Goals
Bidco United: 31. Peter Nzuki (54), Geoffrey Gitau (red-63), 2. Jacob Onyango (76)
Nairobi City Stars: 17. Nicholas Kipkirui (88-Pen miss)
