City Stars ensure there is blackout for Stima

By James Waindi

George ‘Viduka’ Odari’s 26-minute goal helped Nairobi City Stars to a deserved 1-0 victory over Western Stima in a Kenyan Premier League match played at the City Stadium.

The win was Stars’ third victory this season after registering seven draws in a row and they are now in the seventh position on 16 points from 11 matches, the same points with champions Sofapaka who were earlier in the day shocked 3-2 by debutants Posta Rangers.

For Stima’s new coach Mark Sirengo, who replaced Fred Serenge last week, it was a painful start to his coaching career but he was optimistic to bounce back in the next matches.

"We played well but we were just not lucky. Their goalkeeper was also very good and I can say he played a big role in their victory. We plan to improve on our finishing and I’m confident we will bounce back from the loss in our next match," said the player-coach.

Stima had been favoured on paper to overcome their City opponents, but Stars had the first realistic chance just eight minutes into the match, but Odari hit the side netting from close range.

He made amends for his missed chance in the 26th minute when he managed to control a long ball that had eluded the entire Stima defence before toe-pocking the ball into an empty net as Stima’s custodian Benroberts Mandela found himself in no man’s land.

Alloice Mangi and on form Brian Masiolo twice came close for Stima before the break, but they could not beat Stars’ second choice custodian Fred Majani.

In the second half, Sirengo changed from coach to player, replacing Wesley Kemboi while Ali Ahmed replaced the ineffective Peter Okoyo.