Nairobi City Stars

Tag: Sanjin Alagic

  • Maloba returns

    Maloba returns

    After weeks out, Nairobi City Stars offensive midfielder Oliver Maloba is back at the club.

    Maloba, whose trail had gone cold on the club since the second week of February, met the club honchos on Monday and after lengthy discussions was allowed back in training starting on Tuesday.

    Speaking on the matter club CEO Patrick Korir said;

    “We chose to take a pragmatic view of the matter. After productive talks we have accepted his apology and he is now back in training,”

    Upon meeting his team-mates in Tuesday sessions a remorseful Maloba said;

    “I apologies to the club and my fellow players for staying out without communicating. Let’s leave what happened behind. I am back and fully committed to give my all to keep the ship sailing.”

    Maloba has now been challenged by head coach Sanjin Alagic to work his way back to the team as his position has already been grabbed by other deserving players.

    “Staying out for a month means all work done since July last year is lost. He has another few weeks to work on basics then work his way up to the team.”

  • Debut for Osano against AP Bomet

    Debut for Osano against AP Bomet

    January signing Jacob Osano will stand between the sticks for the first time ever when Nairobi City Stars takes on AP Bomet at the Kericho Green Stadium on Sunday 8 March 2020 from 3pm.

    Signed from Nairobi Stima, Osano takes up the place of regular keeper Levis Opiyo who sits out the game due to accumulation of five yellow cards.

    As Osano steps up, reserve keeper Ronny Kagunzi made a return to the squad to start off the bench.

    Also in for the AP Bomet is regular field skipper Anthony Kimani who was suspended for the last game against Kenya Police.

    His return is a boost for head coach Sanjin Alagic who will be missing regular striker Davis Agesa who saw red from two yellow cards against Police.

    One other change for the game is Edwin Buliba’s elevation from the bench to the right back spot to play in place of Kevin Oumu who was not passed fit for the Kericho trip.

    Tedian Atuto, a January signing from Fortune Sacco, made the 18-man squad for the first time and will start off the bench as well as Charles Otieno who sat out injured in the last game.

    Starting XI against AP Bomet: 16. Jacob Osano, 8. Calvin Masawa, 4. Salim Abdalla, 22. Wycliffe Otieno, 30. Anthony Kimani, 12. Edwin Buliba, 2. Elvis Ojiambo, 10. Peter Opiyo, 25. David Gateri, 27. Azizi Okaka, 32. Ezekiel Odera,

    Subs: 1. Ronny Kagunzi, 17. Noah Abich. 88. Tedian Esilaba, 3. Charles Otieno, 15. John Kamau, 19. Jimmy Bageya, 5. Wesley Onguso

  • Coach assures on return to normal programming

    Coach assures on return to normal programming

    On Saturday 8 February, Nairobi City Stars went down 3-1 to visiting Coast Stima at Camp Toyoyo in a round 24 Betika Super League (BSL) clash.

    It was the second season loss that brought an end to the clubs’ impressive four-win slide into the second half of the season.

    Never had City Stars gone down by that margin – at least not since March 2019 when they went down to Kibera Black Stars by the same margin at the same venue.

    In the aftermath of that shocker, Simba wa Nairobi head coach Sanjin Alagic noted the areas of concern, has his lessons well documented and is now assuring a re-tune to the norm.

    “We are little disappointed because of the result. We had a great start with four wins including against Vihiga United and Bidco United who are our direct promotion opponents,”

    “But in this match we were poor in defense, we allowed Coast Stima to make problems for us through their counter attack especially from our left side and they scored two goals and a penalty,”

    “They enjoyed their opportunities; from four chances they scored three goals and from our side we showed some weakness; we created many chances but didn’t score from them,”

    “But that’s football, if you are dominating in ball possession that doesn’t mean that you will win every match,” added the Bosnian

    Putting the set back behind him, Sanjin is keeping his eye on the prize and wants to achieve what he set out to at the beginning of the season.

    “We will stay focused in our next games and remain determined to win every next match to achieve our goals and finish this season like Champions,”

    After the Stima debacle, City Stars will stay out two weekends then resume league action on the 29th of February.

    “The team is working very well, the atmosphere in the training is great so we don’t have reasons to be worried. Starting from next match against Kenya Police our fans will again see the real NCS.” summed up Sanjin

    City Stars currently tops the 19-team BSL log with 55 points from 23 games and has a seven-point buffer on promotion material Bidco United.

  • Friendly fire; Stalemate against Gor

    Friendly fire; Stalemate against Gor

     Nairobi City Stars held Kenyan Premier League (KPL) top dogs Gor Mahia to a barren draw in friendly played at Camp Toyoyo, Jericho on Tuesday 4 February 2020.

    The game was geared at giving a runout to players that did not make the squad against Bidco United on Sunday at the same venue as well as those that came on as substitutes.

    “We organized a friendly match for the players who did not play the last league games. I agreed with the Gor Mahia coach (Steve Pollack) that we give the players the chance to play,” said City Stars head coach Sanjin Alagic

    “It was one good test for both coaches to see the level of the players who did not have enough minutes in the last league games,”

    “It was a good test for the players from both teams and hopefully in the future we will try to organise such strong games.”

    Both Gor Mahia and Nairobi City Stars top their respective Kenyan Premier and National Super Leagues.

    Keeper Jacob Osano, Kevin Okumu, Jacob Osano, Azizi Okaka and striker Vincent Otieno who were unused subs against Bidco United featured in the game as well as those who were not factored in; Ebrimma Sanneh, Wesley Onguso, Noah Abich, Eric Ochieng as well as re-signed John Kamau and Tedian Atuto all featured in the game.

  • ‘Lovae’ on penalty save in Mumias

    ‘Lovae’ on penalty save in Mumias

    It’s the 53rd minute in Mumias Complex and a City Stars player handles the ball in the box to concede a penalty. The referee on the day does not hesitate and only does what he should rightfully do; point to the spot!

    It’s a mixed reaction to the occurrence as at that point, City Stars had a slim 1-0 lead over hosts Vihiga United in a match day 22 National Super League (NSL) clash.

    Being a penalty, it was almost a foregone conclusion that Vihiga United would score and pull level.

    But as their skipper Smith Ouko stepped up to take the spot kick, the man in City Stars goal Levis Lovae Opiyo was at ease as he knew his tricks all too well for he had been at Vihiga United for a short stint towards the end of the transitional 2018/19 NSL season.

    “I was at the club and I knew how their captain always took penalties. I just went to the same direction that he always placed his spot kicks and that’s how I made the save,” said Lovae

    Opiyo’s penalty save guaranteed City Stars a 1-0 win as it protected Davis Agesa’s 34th minute bullet shot that ricocheted off the woodwork and into goal past a hapless Joel Bataro in goal. It came off an assist by live wire Oliver Maloba.

    On the whole Lovae reckons it wasn’t a walk in the park out in Mumias;

    “The game was very tough, we got some early chances and utilized them but after that the game turned out to be very tough. Vihiga United were shooting closer to the goal that gave me more work to do and after lots of pressure they got that penalty.”

    What happened in Mumias wasn’t a first but a repeat for keeper Opiyo. In mid-November 2019 Opiyo saved one of two penalties awarded to Nairobi Stima at Karuturi grounds to lead Simba wa Nairobi to an important 2-1 win. The other bounced off the upright.

    Opiyo’s contribution in Mumias ultimately handed him the Man of the Match accolade.

    City Stars coach Sanjin Alagic had this to say; “He was focused in Mumias, was good in aerial balls and he saved a penalty. He deserved to be the MVP.”

    It was the second time he was being named MVP following up on his first in mid-September 2019 as City Stars ended Bidco United’s Cinderella run into the season in Thika with a 1-0 win.

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