Nairobi City Stars

Tag: Vincent Otieno

  • How we lineup against Nzoia

    How we lineup against Nzoia

    Save for skipper Anthony Muki Kimani and offensive Oliver Maloba, there will be nine new players lining up in Nairobi City Stars colors as the team hosts Nzoia Sugar at the Narok Stadium on Sunday 29 November 2020 starting 1pm.

    This is as head coach Sanjin Alagic from Bosnia makes his bow in the Kenyan top flight in Nairobi City Stars 321st Premier League game, the first since 19th November 2016 in the season when the team got relegated.

    While Muki last featured for City Stars in the Premier league in 2009, but rejoined the club in July 2019, Maloba was part of the 2016 lot.

    Four offseason signings; Keeper Steve Njunge from Wazito, Kenedy Vidic Onyango from Kakamega Homeboyz, striker Erick Jibaba Ombija from Gor Mahia and left back Herit Mungai Atariza from Coast Stima will all start against Nzoia.

    They are joined in the starting 11 by defenders Salim Shitu Abdalla and Wycliffe Wiki Otieno, as well as midfielder Elvis Noor Ojiambo who all joined the team in July 2019.

    Vidic and Shitu will be the stoppers as Herit and Wiki take their places as fullbacks.

    Teenager Elvis will have Peter Pinchez Opiyo, and Muki for company in the mid as Ombija and Maloba operate on either wings. Agesa, the City Stars all-time top scorer in the NSL, will lead the lines upfront.

    Three teenagers; Elvis Ochoro and Vincent Otieno Okoth, both signed from Hakati Sportiff, as well as Laiser Hill alumnus Timothy Babu Ouma, will start off the bench.

    Ezekiel Odera who scored the clubs 304th and last Premier League goal in 2016 is part of the firepower on the bench as well as overall captain and City Stars longest serving player Calvin Masawa.

    Utility back Edwin Buliba and new signings Sven Yidah and roving winger Rodgers Okumu complete the bench.

    Starting XI: Steve Njunge (GK), 28. Herit Mungai Atariza, 25. Kenedy Onyango, 4. Salim Abdalla, 22. Wycliffe Otieno, 2. Elvis Noor Ojiambo, 10. Peter Opiyo, 30. Anthony Kimani, 21. Oliver Maloba, 24. Erick Ombija, 11. Davis Agesa

    Subs: 1. Elvis Ochoro (GK), 12. Edwin Buliba, 18. Sven Yidah, 20. Timothy Ouma, 9. Vincent Otieno, 7. Rodgers Okumu, 8. Calvin Masawa, 32. Ezekiel Odera

    Out of game 1: Ebrima Sanneh, Yusuf Mukisa Lubowa, Charles Otieno (injuries), Azizi Okaka, Jimmy Bageya, Jacob Osano (sickness), Wesley Onguso, John Kamau

  • City Stars deliver over 130,000 meals in latest #JengaJirani drive

    City Stars deliver over 130,000 meals in latest #JengaJirani drive

    Nairobi City Stars players, acting as ambassadors of the Jonathan Jackson Foundation (JJF), spearheaded the dishing out of over 870 food hampers that equates to over 130,500 meals over the past week.

    Team players as well as officials, led by Chair Jonathan Jackson and CEO Patrick Korir, were joined by JJF team, partners Kubamba Krew and Spread Truth Africa on selected days.

    The latest activity, that concluded on Monday 10 August 2020, involved visits to Mukuru kwa Reuben in Industrial area and Mukuru kwa Njenga and parts of Pipeline as well as Tassia, and Mwiki where about 64 food hampers were issued out.

    The latest distribution, under the initiative #JengaJirani, kicked off last week Monday with donations of 200 food hampers in two points in Kamukunji Sub County – Kitui Village, Pumwani Ward and Biafra Community in California Ward.

    The rest of the days in the week saw households in Saika, Dandora, Masai Mater, Shimo La Tewa, Mariguini, Fuata Nyayo, Commercial, Kisii Village and Kathethera benefit from the visits.

    “Jenga Jirani is an act of kindness where the little that we have is shared out to the vulnerable in the society,” said CEO Korir

    “The impact it brings to families is what most important to us and that objective on any given day supersedes the number of people we have reached.” he added

    Madiaba, Kabiro and Satelite Community as part of the larger Kawangware community, Waruku in Kileleshwa ward were part of the stop points.

    The weeks’ activities also included visits to two children’s homes; Filomena (Kayole) and Paradise Community Centre in Bombolulu, Kibra, as well as a revisit to Rehoboth Blessed Assurance Home in Mwiki.

    At Filomena, City Stars players led by the likes of Wesley Onguso, Jacob Osano, Elvis Ojiambo, Charles Oduro and Vincent Otieno, in conjunction with Kubamba Krew and leading Gospel artists such as Lady B and Evelyne Wanjiru, helped to cook, then fed with the children.

    Part of those targeted in the latest #JengaJirani drive included households with cerebral palsy persons, those with cancer, disabilities, the severely sick, among others.

    Pictorials

  • Forced break a blessing in disguise

    Forced break a blessing in disguise

    A number of Nairobi City Stars players have been handed lifelines to return to near, or full fitness, following indefinite cancellation of the leagues from mid-March due to the Corona Virus outbreak.

    As the league wore on, some players were falling off from starting berths to the bench, or out of the squad all together, following varied injuries.

    Defensive midfielder Charles Chale Otieno, strikers Jimmy Bageya and Vincent Jamaica Otieno, defenders Wycliffe Otieno and Edwin Buliba are some of the players who would have otherwise missed games had the Corona Virus disrupt not arrived.

    Under treatment

    For Chale (pictured), a atural deep 6, his season was as good as over had matters not reset from the norm following the arrival of the pandemic.

    A knee injury – a complex tear to the lateral meniscus – diminished enforcer and spoiler Chale’s performance to an extent he had been asked to sit out the rest of the season. He’s been undergoing weekly observation and rehabilitation at the Muchatha Health Care, a renowned Physiotherapy & Sports injury clinic.

    According to team trainer Grace Wang’ondu, “Chale may not be fully fit on time as his case is about managing the injury and pain. With strengthened muscles around the injury he may get to a point where he can play with rehab and physio”.

    A take-two to a rebound in Kericho, in a game against AP Bomet at the Green Stadium on Sunday 8 March, left Bageya with a complex tear to his medial meniscus on his right knee.

    Left to limp dangerously after, Jimmy missed the next game against Nairobi Stima on Saturday 13 March – his first miss of the season. He would have only returned, if all went well, after three to four weeks.

    Teenage striker Vincent had been part and parcel of games 2 to 25 between September 2019 to early February but an acute knee injury during a friendly game in early February saw him off the squad for a month. He was to start normal training in readiness for league games.

    Buliba suffered a patella tendonitis and IT band syndrome on his left knee during a crucial game against Nairobi Stima. He did not complete the match and has been undergoing physio sessions since then.

    Big defender Wycliffe,a regular starter since match day 6 back in September 2019 has been playing while on rehab to a mild-Achilles tendon pain. Chances are he would have missed some games to fully recover.

    Lesser cases

    Away from those five cases, two other players; keeper Levis Opiyo and striker Ezekiel Odera are expected to fully recover from minor concerns suffered from recent games; patella tendonitis and mild Achilles, respectively.

    Collectively, and baring any new developments, the seven players are expected to be on equal footing to contest for playing places once the league resumes at the end of the sporting lock-down due to Corona Virus.

    Recovered

    Right back Kevin Okumu, who missed out the last two games, had only recovered from grass burn around the knee and hip area and was rearing to reclaim his position in the team.

    Two strikers; Ebrima Sanneh and Davis Agesa had had exited the physios desk by the time the league took a break.

    Sanneh, the club’s top scorer had only featured once in four games but came off the bench to power in a winning header – for his ninth season goal – during the last game against Nairobi Stima.

    It confirmed he had fully recovered from a patella tendonitis that had slowed him down since the turn of the year.

    In that game Agesa clocked the whole 90 minutes for the first time in a month following the full healing of soreness and swelling around his knee.

    Though league games were brought to a halt due to the corona virus pandemic, the new situation brought about by the forced break has since turned out to be a blessing in disguise for players seeking to recuperate.

  • Odera, Okaka start against Stima, Sanneh is back

    Odera, Okaka start against Stima, Sanneh is back

    Head coach Sanjin Alagic has made three changes to the starting lineup as Nairobi City Stars linesup against Coast Stima at Camp Toyoyo on Saturday 8 February, 2020 starting 11 am.

    The three changes sees returning striker Ezekiel Odera and January signing Azizi Okaka start as Gambian hitman Ebrima Sanneh makes his way back after missing the last game against Bidco United.

    While it will be the first start for Odera under Sanjin, its a return to the starting eleven for Azizi since the first game of the year away to Shabana.

    The entry of the trio to the starting lineups means superstars Davis Agesa and Oliver Maloba, both of whom missed two days of training in the week due to varied illnesses, drop to the bench alongside defensive mid Elvis Noor Ojiambo.

    They join keeper Jacob Osano, Charles Otieno Oduro, Kevin Okumu and Vicent Otieno on the bench.

    David Gateri, a used sub against Bidco, falls off the squad due to illness that saw him miss training in the week.

    The backline of keeper Levis Opiyo, Wycliffe Otieno, Salim Abdalla as well as wingbacks Calvins Masawa and Edwin Buliba remains as is.

    Peter Opiyo and skipper Athony Kimani are expected to patrol the midfield as Ugandan Jimmy Bageya retains his place on the flanks.

    Lineup against Coast Stima

    23. Levis Opiyo, 8. Calvins Masawa, 4. Salim Abdalla, 22. Wycliffe Otieno, 8. Edwin Buliba, 10. Peter Opiyo, 30. Antony Kimani (Captain), 29. Ebrima Sanneh, 8. Jimmy Bageya, 32. Ezekiel Odera, 27. Azizi Okaka

    Subs: 28. Kevin Okumu, 3. Charles Otieno, 11. Davis Agesa, 21. Oliver Maloba, 16. Jacob Osano, 2. Elvis Ojiambo, 16. Vincent Otieno

    Out: 5. Wesley Onguso, 17. Noah Abich, 25. David Gateri, 1. Ronny Kagunzi, 12. Eric Ochieng, 15. John Kamau, 80. Tedian Esilaba

  • One change against Bidco

    One change against Bidco

    Gambian striker Ebrima Sanneh is the only casualty as Nairobi City Stars lines up to face off with Bidco United in a top of the table clash at Camp Toyoyo, Jericho on Sunday 2 February 2020 starting 3pm.

    Sanneh, the scorer of the lone goal when Nairobi City Stars beat Bidco United during the first leg in September last year, has been taken up by teenager Vincent Otieno who missed out on the final 18 that traveled to Mumias last weekend.

    It’s the only change made by head coach Sanjin Alagic from the squad that delivered an important 1-0 win over Vihiga United last Sunday.

    Edwin Buliba who earned his first start and first game under Sanjin against Vihiga United maintains his place at right back following his commanding his display.

    Charles Otieno, Ezekiel Odera and Aziz Okaka who were subs against Vihiga will all once again start off the bench.

    Nairobi City Stars squad against Bidco United

    Starting 11: 23. Levis Opiyo, 4. Salim Abdalla, 22. Wycliffe Otieno, 8. Calvins Masawa, 12. Edwin Buliba, 30. Anthony Kimani (Captain), 7. Peter Opiyo, 11. Davis Agesa, 21. Oliver Maloba, 2. Elvis Ojiambo, 8. Jimmy Bageya,

    Subs: 3. Charles Otieno,28. Kevin Okumu, 32. Ezekiel Odera, 16. Jacob Osano, 27. Azizi Okaka,25. David Gateri, 9. Vincent Otieno

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