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City Stars picked up back-to-back wins for the first time since January.
Nairobi City Stars secured a 2-1 win over Kariobangi Sharks in a Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKFPL) match played at Kasarani Annex on Saturday afternoon.
As expected Sharks head coach William Muluya rang the changes as he hoped to freshen up his starting XI, making four alterations from the side that lost 1-0 to Ulinzi Stars last weekend.
On the side of City Stars, Nicholas Muyoti also made several changes of his own, most notably giving striker Samuel Kapen a rare start.
With the rain bucketing down in Nairobi, the wet conditions made for a hard-fought, energy-sapping encounter.
The opening stages though, were a rather quiet and uneventful affair as both teams looked to get their foot on the ball, but it was Sharks who did look the more threatening upfront.
Fortune Omotto was making a nuisance of himself inside the Simba wa Nairobi area and his physicality kept City Stars defenders on their toes.
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Fans had to wait until the 18th minute to see the game’s first shot on target. Kariobangi Sharks’ Omotto forced Steve Njunge into a comfortable save with a low drive.
Sharks were certainly the more dominant of the two sides and minutes later, Keith Imbali almost broke the deadlock, but his curling effort flew just wide of the Simba wa Nairobi goal from the edge of the City Stars box.
Kelvin Etemesi came close to giving City Stars the lead as the match approached the half-hour mark, the striker managed to outpace the Sharks' defense before firing his effort just wide of Kelvin Ouru post.
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While they were let down by their final ball they did eventually test Steve Njunge with three minutes to go in the half. The City Stars keeper did well to deal with a dangerous-looking Keith Imbai shot, keeping the score line level.
That would be the half’s third meaningful chance as both coaches went into the break frustrated and begging for a better showing from their players in the second half.
The resumption of the second half saw Muyoti throw on James Mazembe in place of Vincent Owino in an effort to stabilize the midfield.
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Sharks again looked the more adventurous of the two sides and had City Stars pegged back deep into their own half which was certainly a point of concern for the technical team during the opening stages.
Nonetheless, the visitors went ahead in the 56th minute as James Mazembe’s quickly taken free-kick found unmarked Kelvin Etemesi at the edge of the box before the striker fired the ball into the back of the net.
Seven minutes later, Tyson Otieno squared a chance to give the hosts an equalizer but the Sharks forward blasted wide of the target from close range after being set up by Geoffrey Onyango.
Simba wa Nairobi added their second in the 65th minute with Samuel Kapen heading in a Denis Oalo’s delivery from close range.
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Kariobangi Sharks were presented with a chance in the 77th minute when Timothy Ekhavi floated a cross to the far post, where second-half substitute Sheriff Musa somehow placed his effort over the crossbar from a point-blank range.
The hosts grew in confidence as the game went on as they pulled one in the 82nd minute when second-half substitute Patrick Ngunyi chested in Sharrif Mussa’s cross to make it 2-1.
There was another chance for Ngunyi in the 86th minute, but his header was cleared by City Stars' defense after the ball had fallen kindly for him in the Simba wa Nairobi box.
Thankfully from Muyoti’s point of view, City Stars were able to play out the four minutes of referee’s additional time with relative comfort apart from a Musa’s shot right at the death which the defense scrambled to clear to ensure the three points.
How they lined up:
Kariobangi Sharks: Kevin Ouru, Collins Obanda, Timothy Ekhavi, Frederick Alushula, Geoffrey Onyango, Keith Imbali, Biron Otieno, Tyson Otieno, Leon Otieno, Fortune Omotto, Tyson Otieno
Nairobi City Stars: Steve Njunge, Dennis Wanjala, Edwin Buliba, Kennedy Onyango, Timothy Muganda, Clifford Otieno, Vincent Owino, Andrew Kisilu, Samuel Kapen, Denis Oalo,Kelvin Etemesi
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