After serving Nairobi City Stars for four and a half months, assistant coach Nihad Nalbantic has returned home to Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Nihad, 66, arrived at the onset of October 2020 alongside head coach Sanjin Alagic to set up structures as the team prepared for the Premier League for the first time in four years following promotion at the close of last season.
“Nihad is no longer with the team following the completion of his mission which included setting up key training programmes and methodology,”
“We appreciate all the work he put in and for his professional approach that saw the team make a successful start to the top league. We wish him all the best in his future assignments.” said Simba wa Nairobi CEO Patrick Korir
Prior to coming to Kenya Nihad, a former professional goalkeeper, had coached clubs in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kuwait as well as in Slovakia, among others, alongside Sanjin.
Nairobi City Stars will take on Kakamega Homeboyz for only the fifth time in a Premiership tie on Saturday 6 February 2021 at Bukhungu Stadium starting 3pm.
The two have met four times before; twice in 2013 and 2016 seasons and Homeboyz carries a two win record, a draw and a single loss. In the four games Homeboyz has outscored City Stars four to two goals.
In their first match up in May 2013, a Justus Basweti strike in the first half at Hope centre delivered a 1-0 win.
Nairobi City Stars are away to Homeboyz for just the third time and in search of their first ever win as the first visit in 2013 in Bukhungu ended in a barren draw and the second one in 2016 ended in a 1-0 loss at Mumias Complex. Andrew Murunga scored the lone goal.
A connecting factor in the game is stopper Kenedy Vidic Onyango Ouma (pictured) who crossed over from Homeboyz to join City Stars in the current season. He’ll be leading Simba wa Nairobi to a familiar surrounding.
City Stars head to the game under the auspices of Bosnian Sanjin Alagic who will become the fifth coach – and third foreigner – to face Homeboyz.
Gambian Bai Malleh Wadda, Charles Omondi Korea, John Bobby Ogola and Ugandan Richard Tamale Pinto guided the team in the last four games, in that order.
City Stars and Homeboyz have not had the best of results in the last five matches as each has registered three loses.
From ten games, City Stars is twelfth on the log with two points on Homeboyz who are down at 15th place.
While Homeboyz lost 1-0 away to Wazito in the last game, City stars was taken down 2-1 by Kariobangi Sharks.
The upcoming Bukhungu affair will be a battle of the wounded. Who will win this one?
Summary
KPL Games: 4
25-May-13, City Stars vs Homeboyz, Hope Centre, 1-0
20-Jul-13, Homeboyz vs City Stars, Bukhungu Stadium, 0-0
9-Apr-16, Homeboyz vs City Stars, Mumias Complex, 1-0
30-Oct-16, City Stars vs Homeboyz, Kasarani, 1-3
City Stars stopper Kenedy Onyango keeps vigil against two KCB opponents as the two faced off at Kasarani on Fri 4 Dec 2020 in a 2nd round premier league game. KCB won 1-0Kenedy Vidic Onyango in round 10 Premier League game against Kariobangi Sharks on Sat 30 Jan 2021. Sharks won 2-1
Attacking midfielder Oliver Maloba has been called up to the provisional National team Harambee Stars squad that will face Egypt and Togo in the 2021 African Cup of Nations qualifiers towards the close of March 2021.
The National team currently coached by Jacob Ghost Mulee will train twice each week from the second week of February for four weeks before upping the tempo in the month of March towards the two games.
“The Kenya National Senior Men’s Team (Harambee Stars) is scheduled to play Egypt and Togo in the African Cup of Nations qualifiers on March 25,2021, and March 28 ,2021 respectively.
“The above-mentioned player (Maloba) who is a member of your club has been invited in the provisional squad by the technical team in preparation for the aforementioned matches.” said a communique from the Federation to City Stars
The pacey ball player led City Stars to promotion with a personal contribution of five goals, six assists and six MVP awards. Thus far he has clocked all ten games into the 2020/21 Premier League season.
City Stars head coach Sanjin Alagic commented on his callup stating; “I am proud that his hard work has finally paid off as the National team scouts have now spotted him. We wish him all the best.”
Maloba becomes the latest player from City Stars to be considered for National team duty after keeper Elvis Ochieng Ochoro, midfielder Timothy Noor Ouma and striker Vincent Otieno Okoth who were called up to the provisional U20 team in November 2020 before the final squad was named for the CECECAFA U20 held in Tanzania.
Oliver Maloba on the ball as Davis Agesa looks on during a friendly against Mt. Kenya United at Dagoretti High on Sat 14 Nov 2020. It ended 1-1Oliver Maloba training at Camp Toyoyo in March 2020Oliver Maloba celebrates his goal, the second for City Stars in the season opening 2-0 win over Nzoia Sugar FC at Narok Stadium on Sun 29 Nov 2020
Nairobi City Stars will host Kariobangi Sharks in a tenth round Premier League tie at Kasarani Annex on Saturday 30 January 2021 starting 3pm.
Just as was the case against Nzoia United in the season opener, and against Bidco United, Vihiga United and Wazito in rounds four, five and six, the upcoming duel will be historic as City Stars and Sharks have never met in the top flight.
The two have bypassed each other on the league front over the years. Back in 2017 Sharks rose to the Premier League as City Stars dropped to the second tier following relegation.
Simba wa Nairobi only returned to the big boys league following promotion in 2020.
The only contest between the two was a preseason friendly exactly three months ago at the end of October 2020 at Utalii grounds where the spoils were shared 1-1.
In that friendly fire, speedy Rodgers Okumu Okuse scored an early goal for City Stars off a Davis Agesa cross from the right as Peter Lwasa leveled matters for Sharks before the break.
Once again, head coach Sanjin Alagic from Bosnia will be coming up against William Kanu Muluya who promoted the team at the close of the 2016 second tier and has been with the side since then.
Sharks currently sits fifth in the 18-team log with 15 points, five clear of ninth placed City Stars.
While City Stars comes into this clash with a draw against Ulinzi Stars (1-1) and defeat against Sofapaka (1-0), Sharks carry two straight defeats against Tusker (4-2) and AFC Leopards (2-0).
Part of what will juice up the upcoming encounter is the presence of three former Sharks players in the City Stars roster: defensive mid Sven Yidah, defenders Herit Mungai, Wycliffe Wiked Otieno and striker Ebrima Sanneh.
Timothy Ouma of City Stars challenging for the ball against a Sharks player during a friendly at Utalii on Sat 31 Oct 2020Midfielder Charles Çhale’Otieno in a friendly game against Kariobangi Sharks at Utalii grounds on Sat 30 Oct 2020. It ended 1-1
Defensive mid Ronney Kola takes on a Kariobangi Sharks player during a friendly at Utalii grounds on Sat 30 Oct 2020. It ended 1-1
Ambrose Sifuna’s goal in the 73rd minute off a diagonal ball from Michael Kibwage was the separator in the game.
Speaking to our news desk, Simba wa Nairobi head Coach Sanjin Alagic talked of some of the factors the led to the fall in Wundanyi.
“The pitch surface was very poor which did not allow us to play our game and develop our playing style. The players did not adapt well to the ground especially in first half and that was reason for many simple mistakes and nervousness in the team,”
“After making some subs in the second half by bringing on Oliver (Maloba), Elvis (Noor), (Ebrima) Sanneh and Charles (Otieno) it brought us stability and improved our performance,”
“After Sofapaka scored, we managed to create 3-4 amazing chances to score but we missed all those chances in front of goal which is not possible to miss,”
“A few minutes before the end I was surprised that referee didn’t award us a clear penalty when Maloba was brought down in the box,”
“We will now focus on our next match with Sharks and hopefully we start to win games because we deserve to have more than 10 points with the very good performance what we showed this year.” summed the Bosnian
City Stars takes on Kariobangi Sharks on Saturday 30 January at Kasarani (outer) starting 3pm.
The technical bench during a match day 9 premier league tie against Sofapaka in Wundanyi on Sat 23 Jan 2021Coach Sanjin Alagic and his City Stars players at Wundanyi on Sat 23 Jan 2021 during a match day 9 against Sofapaka. The hosts won the game 1-0
