Eleven players have renewed their contracts and will stay on at Nairobi City Stars for the upcoming 2022/23 Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Premier League season.
Goalkeepers Jacob Osano and Steve Njunge, stoppers Kenedy Vidic Onyango and Edwin Buliba, fullbacks Calvin Masawa and Herit Mungai, are some of the players who re-upped their contracts.
Midfielders Peter Pinchez Opiyo, Anthony Muki Kimani, and Oliver Maloba are also staying on for another season.
Forwards Mohammed Bajaber who was on loan in the last half of last season from Starfield Academy is in for another season, as well as record-chasing scorer Ezekiel Odera.
“All the eleven players had run down their contracts at the close of last season but we are happy that they agreed to stay on for yet another season as per the coaches’ plan,” said team coordinator Samson Otieno
The eleven add on to another six players who had rolling contracts. They include forward Vincent Jamaica Otieno and Rowland Makati, midfielders Elvis Noor Ojiambo and Ronney Kola, left-back Dennis Wanjala, and keeper Elvis Ochoro.
“With a core team still in place, the culture of the team remains as we restructure for the upcoming season. It is exciting to keep a majority of players as we tune ourselves for next season.” said head coach Nicholas Muyoti
A 2-2 draw against FC Talanta on Sunday 12 June 2022 at Kasarani Annex brought Nairobi City Stars 2021/22 FKF Premier League season to a close.
After the season finale, Simba wa Nairobi wrapped the season with 49 points to end up a record-high fifth on the 18-team log.
Comparatively, it was an improved season from the last one as the team managed one extra win to hit 14, and draw to make it 10 from nine, and lost a game less to make it 10, to finish with four points and two positions better.
14 wins in the season meant City Stars matched the most wins registered in the top flight that was achieved back in the 2005-6 season.
It has to be noted that Nicholas Muyoti who joined the side at the beginning of the season from Kakamega Homeboyz had broken that record had a 3-0 win over Mathare United not been expunged from the standings following the expulsion of the side for skipping three consecutive games during the second leg.
That not only denied Muyoti the record but a 52-point finish at the end of the season.
Looking back at the season that was, Muyoti shared his comments;
“Being my first season with the team I must say we did well. It was an improved performance from last season though I feel we had the capability to do better,” started Muyoti
“We had a bad start then we picked up and at some point, we were title contenders but we Just didn’t have enough character and resilience to push and go for the title,”
“I am happy with the overall performance of the team, all the players got an opportunity to play apart from injured Ronnie Kola. Some were very impressive and others couldn’t take the opportunity to become regulars in the team,”
“Osano was outstanding in goal, keeping as many (13) clean sheets, (Herit) Mungai had improved performance, Sven (Yidah), (Anthony) Kimani, (Peter) Opiyo, and Timothy (Ouma) were outstanding in midfield.
“But any time they were out of the team we struggled. (Oliver) Maloba and Rodgers (Okumu) did well but were not consistent, and (Ezekiel) Odera our top scorer did great,”
“The technical staff did well, though with a few shortcomings, and we look forward to improving in the next season,”
“The management played her part and we owe it to them, allowances and salaries were paid on time unlike most of the teams in the league,”
“We thank the fans for their support as they really pushed the team regardless of where we played. We hope they will continue with the same spirit.
“Generally I thank God for an improved performance and hope to do better next season.” concluded Muyoti
Head coach Nicholas Muyoti swings instructions to midfielder Peter Opiyo (no. 10) and winger John Kamau (no. 15) during a tough away game to Kakamega Homeboyz in Bukhungu on Thur 20 Jan 2022. The game ended 4-4Nicholas Muyoti being unveiled as the new Nairobi City Stars coach by club chair Jonathan Jackson
It will be a historic tie as Leopards has never hosted Simba wa Nairobi in Thika
It will be the 22nd top-flight meeting between the two sides since the year 2005. Overall, Leopards has registered nine wins, City Stars seven wins and the other five games have ended in draws.
In ten previous away games, City Stars has managed one win over Leopards, drawn five, and lost four times.
In the upcoming tie, City Stars will be looking to register only their second away win over Leopards since January 2006.
Heading to the upcoming game, City Stars carries a 3-2 loss to Gor Mahia from last weekend as Leopards comes on the high of a 2-0 away win over title-chasing Kakamega Homeboyz.
For yet another game, City Stars head coach Nicholas Muyoti, a Leopard’s old boy, will come up against his counterpart Patrick Aussems who masterminded a 1-0 first-leg win in Nyayo.
Table-wise, Simba wa Nairobi sits fifth on the log with 47 points, two ahead of eighth-placed AFC Leopards
Who wins this one?
Summary
KPL Games: 21 (Leopards wins -9, City Stars wins – 7, Draws – 5)
City Stars vs AFC Leopards (Away games)
22-Jan-06: AFC Leopards vs World Hope, Nyayo Stadium, 0-1 (W)
22-Aug-09: AFC Leopards vs City Stars, Nyayo Stadium, 0-0 (D)
18-Apr-10: AFC Leopards vs City Stars, City Stadium, 1-1 (D)
21-Aug-11: AFC Leopards vs City Stars, Nyayo Stadium, 2-1 (L)
13-Jul-12: AFC Leopards vs City Stars, Nyayo Stadium, 1-0 (L)
18-Aug-13: AFC Leopards vs City Stars, Nyayo Stadium, 1-1 (D)
12-Apr-14: AFC Leopards vs City Stars, Mumias Complex, 1-1 (D)
19-Jul-15: AFC Leopards vs City Stars, Nyayo Stadium, 2-1 (L)
21-Aug-16: AFC Leopards vs City Stars, Afraha Stadium, 0-0 (D)
06-Mar-21: AFC Leopards vs City Stars, Kasarani Annex, 1-0 (L)
06-Jun-22: AFC Leopards vs City Stars, Thika Stadium, ??
For the first time in a year-and-a-half, KCB FC will host Nairobi City Stars, this time in a 31st round tie in the 2021/22 FKF Premier League, in Kasarani on Saturday 21 May 2022 starting 3 pm.
KCB last hosted Simba wa Nairobi at the same venue in December 2020, during round two of the previous season, and went on to win the tie 1-0.
Thus far, KCB and City Stars have met in the topflight 23 times since the year 2005.
Narrowed down, KCB has hosted City Stars 11 times and has gone on to win eight. The other three games have ended in a draw, and two losses to City Stars.
It has to be noted that KCB handed City Stars its second-worst league defeats after posting identical 4-0 wins in the 2012 and 2013 seasons at Nyayo and City Stadia, respectively.
Added to the records, City Stars is now on a three-game losing streak against their official bogey team KCB having lost both home (1-0) and away (0-3) games last season, as well as the first leg tie (1-0) this season in Ruaraka, and will have to dig deep to change that narrative on Saturday.
City Stars goes to the game on the back of a 0-0 draw against Champions Tusker as KCB is reeling from 2-1 away loss to log leaders Kakamega Homeboyz.
For yet another game, Nicholas Muyoti on the City Stars side will come up against his counterpart Zedekiah Zico Otieno on KCB’s end.
Tablewise, Simba wa Nairobi is fourth in the 18-team standing with half a century of points, and a ten-point buffer over ninth-placed KCB.
Who wins this one?
Summary of KCB FC vs Nairobi City Stars in the Premier League
Overall 23 games: KCB wins (12), Nairobi City Stars wins (7), Draws (4)
KCB as City Stars hosts: Wins (8), Draws (1), Losses (2)
28-Aug-05, KCB vs World Hope, 1-3 (W)
15-Sep-07, KCB vs World Hope, 2-1 (L)
30-Aug-08, KCB vs World Hope, 2-0 (L)
19-Sep-09, KCB vs City Stars, 3-1 (L)
16-Oct-10, KCB vs City Stars, 3-0 (L)
12-Mar-11, KCB vs City Stars, 2-0 (L)
2-Mar-12, KCB vs City Stars, 4-0 (L)
24-Feb-13, KCB vs City Stars, 4-0 (L)
2-Mar-14, KCB vs City Stars, 1-1 (D)
18-Apr-15, KCB vs City Stars, 1-3 (W)
4-Dec-20, KCB vs City Stars, 1-0 (L)
17-May-22, KCB vs City Stars, ??
Goalkeeper Jacob Osano had a massive contribution once again as Nairobi City Stars registered a 0-0 draw against champions Tusker FC in a matchday 30 FKF Premier League tie in Ruaraka on Sunday 15 May 2022.
Time and again Osano stretched his six-foot-two frame to keep out Tusker’s raids to register a third straight clean sheet, and the fifth in the last six games, to make it 13 games without conceding in his first premier league season.
— Official Nairobi City Stars Fc (@NrbCityStars) May 15, 2022
From his displays, Simba wa Nairobi head coach Nicholas Muyoti now reckons Osano has done enough to warrant a place in the Kenya National team.
“It is very encouraging from Osano. He has been very consistent and so far he has made some very important saves. He deserves a call up to the National Team.” opined Muyoti
Adding his voice to Osano’s growth is team coordinator Samson Otieno who said;
“He has been very patient. Imagine arriving in January 2020, featuring in just one game in the second leg of the 2019/20 NSL season in March, missing on game time the entire 2020/21 FKF Premier League season, then becoming a regular, and a top-rated keeper the season after,”
“As the head coach says, Osano has been simply outstanding and we owe lots of our positive results to his presence in goal.” added Otieno
Prior to his premier league debut and big break this season, Osano, a January 2020 signing from Nairobi Stima, was an unused substitute in 16 of the 33 games played in the 2020/21 FKF Premier League season.
Osano’s 13 clean sheets add on to one other by Stephen Njunge to make it 14 for City Stars so far.
Thus far, Osano has clocked 2,340 minutes after completing 26 of 30 games this season.
Man of the Match performance, from the man between the stick Jacob Osano, earns him high praise & handshake from Chairman Jonathan Jackson
