Nairobi City Stars scored three second half goals as they thrashed newly promoted Vihiga United 4-0 at the Ruaraka Complex on Saturday to move second in the FKF Premier League standings.
Goals from Salim Adballah, Ezekiel Odera, skipper Antony Kimani and substitute Vincent Otieno were enough to hand City Stars their fourth win of the season while Bullets suffered their fifth loss in six games.
“We have so many problems on and off the pitch and that is why our results have been wanting. Most of our players are playing at this level for the first time and also, we have not had a good time to train together because we just had a week between the end of the NSL and coming into the Premier League. But we will keep fighting and hopefully results change for us,” said Evans Mafuta, the Vihiga Bullets coach,
His opposite number Nicholas Muyoti was elated with his side’s result.
“We knew that this was going to be a difficult match and we had prepared well for it, though it didn’t turn out how we expected. But I am proud of my players because even if it was an easy match, they took it with the seriousness it deserved,” Muyoti said.
City Stars defender Kevin Chumsy wins the ball
City stars got into the lead in the 10th minute when defender Abdallah finished off inside the box after the Bullets backline struggled to clear a freekick.
Despite going down early, Vihiga gave a fight and they had a chance to get themselves back into the game in the 29th minute when Nicholas Masamba struck a shot from distance but it was wide.
City Stars almost scored the second in the 37th minute when keeper Richard Aimo came off his line, but Oliver Maloba’s lob with an empty net was just wide. Aimo was almost caught out in the 44th minute when Kimani cited him a few yards off his line, but the midfielder’s shot was just over.
Vihiga started the second half strongly and had a close chance in the 50th minute when former Sofapaka man Ibrahim Kajuba took up a shot from distance but keeper Jacob Osano made a brilliant save to keep the scores even.
Osano was called to work a few minutes later when he made an equally important block to deny Kajuba, the Ugandan having risen to connect to a freekick.
City Stars midfielder Sven Yidah battles for the ball with a Vihiga United opponent
Bullets’ hunt for an equalizer was thwarted when they went 2-0 down after 62 minutes. A cross from Timothy Odhiambo on the right was controlled by Davis Agesa on the right and Odera picked up and swung a volley into the net. Despite keeper Aimo having a touch on the ball, it had too much power and trickled into the net.
Six minutes later it was 3-0 when Kimani toe poked the ball home after the Vihiga backline failed to clear away inside the box. Substitute Otieno then completed the rout with a simple goal inside the box when he raced on to a long ball before lifting it over keeper Aimo, barely a minute after coming on to the pitch.
Elsewhere, Mathare United’s poor run continued when they suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Bidco United. David Gateri scored Bidco’s winning goal with a simple tap in when he raced on to a cross from the right.
Stephen Waruru had come close for Bidco but saw his effort denied by the upright when he connected to a Gateri cross from the left.
Brian Nyakan also had a chance for Bidco when he won the ball inside the box but his shot was inches wide.
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