Simba wa Nairobi beat host Kariobangi Sharks 2-1 in a round 19 Kenyan Premier League tie played at the Utalii grounds on Saturday 29 May 2021.
A Peter Pinchez Opiyo penalty on 57 minutes and smasher from substitute Oliver Maloba in the 76th minutes had City Stars 2-0 up.
But at the death, Daniel Sakari’s rebound off a Patilla Omoto’s penalty that had been initially saved by Stephen Njunge served up Sharks’ consolation in the game.
Opiyo was later named the man of the match for his outstanding contribution from the mid of the pack.
Inside ten minutes, City Stars had gone for goal three times but a Bolton freekick on four minutes went begging, a Kevin Okumu long lob soon after, and an Elvis Noor Ojiambo shot off a Rodgers Okuse Okumu delivery, both went straight to keeper Brian Bwire.
On 22 minutes, Davis Agesa who scored the consolation during a 2-1 loss to Sharks in the first leg, almost got City Stars 1-0 up but, after some neat footwork, he crushed his shot off the far post.
Three minutes later field skipper Anthony Muki Kimani drifted to the rightwing to send a weighted cross across goal. Ojiambo, filling in for suspended Sven Yidah, connected to it with a diving header only for the ball to weave marginally wide.
A minute after the hour mark an Okuse through ball found Nicholas Kipkirui inside the box only for his quick header to slightly sail wide.
The next minute, Sharks’ had their first real chance when Eric Juma, playing further up than usual, went for goal only to fire straight at Njunge.
The next set of minutes to halftime saw Sharks throw away close to three corners as City Stars also wasted a freekick and corner as the game settled at 0-0 at the breather.
At the start of the second half Sharks rested John Omondi who started the game ahead of the unavailable lead striker Eric Kapaito. His place was taken up by Julius Masaba to add punch upfront.
Two minutes after restart Sakari flew into the City Stars box only to fire across goal. It received no connection.
A few minutes later a more determined Sharks won back-to-back corners but, again, they were all wasted.
In the 55th minute, a back pass from Boniface Onyango to his keeper went wrong as a racing Kipkirui grabbed it, after Bwire miscued it, and in reaction, he tackled the fast striker and the referee did not hesitate to award a penalty. Opiyo went for it to score the games’ opener; his sixth goal of the season.
Sharks could have leveled just three minutes later but after a great buildup, a ball around the penalty area just failed to get a quick placing by Alphonse Omija who was making his debut. Big stopper Kennedy Onyango scrambled the ball out of the area to save the day.
At the hour mark, City Stars’ most fouled player Okuse was taken off for Maloba and eight minutes later Sharks brought in midfielder Shaphan Oyugi and Robert Onyango for Mokaya and James Mazembe who had been locked out from making his traditional high energy runs on the left flank.
As Oyugi and Onyango walked in, Sharks forced back-to-back corners, but as had been the case from the first half, failed to turn either in.
In between Maloba’s arrival and the Sharks’ duo changes, Ojiambo had a fabulous cross to Kipkirui in the box only for his header to, once again, fly wide.
30 minutes into the second half, Sharks’ defender Alphonse Omija’s pass to skipper Patila Omoto, off a long byline pass from Boniface Onyango, went awry as he was disposed of the ball at the tip of the box by a charging Agesa who squared the ball into the box.
Kipkirui made a dummy run for it and skipped over the ball to allow it to generously fall on a racing Maloba who, with a one-time shot, whacked the ball to the underside of the crossbar. It bounced inwards for City Stars to double the lead with the classic goal.
Six minutes later, determined Sharks forced three back-to-back corners but they couldn’t account for any.
City Stars coach Sanjin Alagic then opted to bring on defensive-minded Charles Otieno for skipper Muki to protect the lead.
However, Sharks claimed a penalty when Kipkirui, in the wrong place at the wrong time, handled the ball in the box while helping to defend.
Njunge saved Omoto’s initial kick but before any further reaction from City Stars, Sakari was on the second ball in a flash to fire what turned out to be Sharks’ consolation.
The game then came to a close as Edwin Buliba and former Shark Ebrima Sanneh took up the places of Ojiambo and Kipkirui, respectively.
With the win, the first ever at Utalii grounds, City Stars improved one up in the 17-team log to sit ninth with 23 points ahead of Wazito on goal difference. Sharks are still fourth with 31 points.
Next up for City Stars in the premier league are two home games against Western Stima and Kakamega Homeboyz on 16 and 19 May 2021.
Till then, the club will be busy with domestic Cup games.
Lineups
Kariobangi Sharks: 30. Brian Bwire, 26. Boniface Onyango, 2. Tom Teka, 24. Daniel Sakari, 12. Douglas Mokaya (17. Shaphan Oyugi-69), 8. Patila Omoto (Captain), 10. Peter Lwasa, 5. Eric Juma, 14. John Omondi (22. Julius Masaba-46), 21. James Mazembe (9. Robert Onyango-69)
Unused subs: 16. Brian Olang’o (GK), 6. Geoffrey Shiveka, 19. Joshua Maero, 27. Ibrahim Ochieng, 18. Reagan Odede, 29. Peter Oudu,
Coach: William Muluya
Nairobi City Stars: 23. Stephen Njunge, 19. Kevin Okumu, 4. Salim Abdalla, 25. Kenedy Onyango, 26. Bolton Omwenga, 10. Peter Opiyo, 2. Elvis Noor Ojiambo (12. Edwin Buliba-90), 30. Anthony Kimani-Captain (3. Charles Otieno-85)), 7. Rodgers Okumu (21. Oliver Maloba-60), 11. Davis Agesa, 17. Nicholas Kipkirui (29. Ebrima Sanneh-90)
Unused subs: 1. Elvis Ochoro (GK), 28. Herit Mungai, 22. Wycliffe Otieno, 32. Ezekiel Odera
Not considered: 6. Ronney Kola, 14. Rowland Makati (both on loan at Nairobi Stima),1. Elvis Ochoro (GK), 27. Azizi Okaka, 9. Vincent Otieno Okoth, 5. Wesley Onguso, 20. Timothy Noor Ouma, 15. John Kamau, 24. Erick Ombija & 18. Sven Yidah (both suspended)
Coach: Sanjin Alagic
Yellow cards: Kariobangi Sharks – 12. Douglas Mokaya (67), 26. Boniface Onyango (86)//Nairobi City Stars – None
