Attacking midfielder Oliver Maloba is expected to be back in training from mid-October, or thereabout, according to Nairobi City Stars team physio Brian Otieno Odongo.
Maloba missed the last six premier league games last season due to Kenya U23 team duty out in Ethiopia from where he returned with a thigh injury.
“He has been under observation by the national team Doctor as well as the team physio and is getting better as the weeks go by,” said team coordinator Samson Otieno
Odongo gave this update on his injury;
“He has been on rehab and has about three weeks to go. He had some pain on the affected area but that has been progressively reducing,”
“We expect him to join the rest of the team in training by mid-October,” added Brian
On his part, Maloba said; “I am recovering well and hope that I’ll be back in the projected three weeks as stated by the physio,”
Maloba registered 1,627 minutes last season starting in 19 of 25 games played.
He scored twice, picked as many MVP titles, and had an assist.
Oliver Maloba on the ball against Bidco in the quarters of Betway Cup on Thur 10 June 2021 at Ruaraka grounds. Bidco United won 1-0Oliver Maloba takes on a Posta Rangers player during a friendly at the Jamhuri Park on Fri 7 May 2021. It ended 1-1
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
From the squad that faced off with Mathare United in the last league game, and lost 2-0, head coach John Amboko has made five key changes ahead of the next game against Posta Rangers on Saturday 14 August 2021 starting 1 pm at Ruaraka.
Keeper Elvis Ochoro returns to the fold for Jacob Osano as forward Davis Agesa who was sat out injured comes on for Vincent Otieno.
Three players suspended in the last game; field skipper Anthony Muki Kimani, and defenders Kevin Chumsy Okumu and Salim Shitu Abdala are all back to take up the places of Azizi Okaka, Wesley Onguso and Wycliffe Otieno who dislocated his ankle in the last game.
From the squad that faced Rangers in the first leg, and drew 1-1, the changes are eight in total.
Wycliffe Otieno and Peter Opiyo both clocked 90 minutes in that game as Azizi Okaka and Oliver Maloba started and were later replaced by Vincent Otieno and Rodgers Okumu, respectively. All six will miss the upcoming game as well as Jacob Osano and Wesley Onguso who were unused subs then.
Other than Ochoro and Chumsy, the new faces for the reverse Posta tie includes strikers Ebrima Sanneh and Nicholas Kipkirui, left-footers Calvin Masawa, John Kamau and Bolton Omwenga, as well as defensive-mid Charles Chale Otieno.
20-man squad to face Posta Rangers
Goalkeepers: 1. Elvis Ochoro (GK), 23. Steve Njunge (GK),
Four changes reflect on the roster of players that forced a 0-0 draw away to Vihiga United as Nairobi City Stars train their guns on Bidco United in a premier league matchday 28 on Monday 26 July 2021 at Ruaraka starting 3 pm.
— Betking Kenya Premier League (@Officialfkfpl) July 25, 2021
Coach John Amboko has included keeper Elvis Ochoro, utility back Edwin Buliba and left-footed pair of John Kamau and Herit Mungai to his setup for the game.
The four takeup slots vacated by Jacob Osano, stopper Kenedy Onyango who is suspended for the game, mid kingpin Peter Opiyo who is out due to a slight knock from the Vihiga game, and flyer Rodgers Okuse Okumu who takes a rest.
Midfielders Oliver Maloba and Sven Yidah who featured started the game then are out with the Kenya U23 team in Ethiopia for the CECAFA Championship.
Besides Kenedy and Opiyo, also out from the first leg squad is Jimmy Bageya who has since left the club.
Fullbacks Kevin Okumu and Bolton Omwenga will be the new faces for the Monday game alongside left-back Wesley Onguso, defensive-mid Charles Otieno, forwards Davis Agesa and Nicholas Kipkiru, as well as Kamau.
20-man squad to face Bidco United
Goalkeepers: 1. Elvis Ochoro (GK), 23. Steve Njunge (GK),
There will be five changes from the squad that faced Ulinzi Stars last weekend when Nairobi City Stars lineup for points against champions Gor Mahia at Ruaraka on Saturday 17 July 2021 starting 3 pm.
After sitting out two games against Bandari and Ulinzi due to injury, stopper Salim Shitu Abdalla returns to squad. He replaces utility back Edwin Buliba who was an unused substitute against Ulinzi.
Forward Davis Agesa is also back after skipping the Ulinzi game to replace Vincent Jamaica Otieno.
After sitting out one game, defensive mid Charles Chale Otieno and winger Rodgers Okuse Okumu are back as like-for-like replacements for two dependable players Sven Yidah and Oliver Maloba who are in the Kenyan U23 squad that travelled to Ethiopia for the U23 championship.
It will be the third time that Sven will miss a league game for City Stars this season, it will be the first time for Maloba.
While Chale was rested against Ulinzi, Okuse was out recuperating from an injury suffered in the previous game against Bandari.
The last change is the inclusion of reserve keeper Jacob Osano who swaps places with Elvis Ochoro.
Winger Azizi Okaka, stopper Wycliffe Otieno, attacking mid Timothy Noor Ouma and mid kingpin Peter Opiyo – who was injured then – are the new inclusions after missing the first leg clash that Gor won 1-0.
20-man squad to face Gor Mahia
Goal keepers: 16. Jacob Osano (GK), 23. Steve Njunge (GK),
Midfielders: 30. Anthony Kimani, 3. Charles Otieno, 2. Elvis Noor Ojiambo, 7. Rodgers Okumu, 10. Peter Opiyo, 20. Timothy Noor Ouma, 27. Azizi Okaka,
Strikers: 17. Nicholas Kipkirui , 24. Erick Ombija, 11. Davis Agesa, 32. Ezekiel Odera,
Not considered: 6. Ronney Kola, 14. Rowland Makati (both on loan at Nairobi Stima), 18. Sven Yidah & 21. Oliver Maloba (out on U23 CECAFA duty), 1. Elvis Ochoro (GK), 9. Vincent Otieno Okoth, 28. Herit Mungai Atariza, 15. John Kamau, 29. Ebrima Sanneh, 12. Edwin Buliba,
Simba wa Nairobi skipper Anthony Muki Kimani shielding the ball off Gor Mahia’s debutant Frank Odhiambo in a round 17 clash at the Utalii grounds on Sun 16 May 2021. Gor won 1-0
