When relegation-courting Vihiga United entertain Nairobi City Stars in a Wednesday afternoon league match at Nakuru’s ASK Grounds, one man – John Amboko – will be at the centre of attention.After two years of playing second fiddle at City Stars, the then assistant coach was, over this past weekend, handed head coach duties on an interim basis after the shocking revelation that Sanjin Alagic was not going to extend his stay at the Kawangware based side, the club deciding to thrust him on the hot seat until the end of the season.Now, since City Stars earned promotion back to the top league this season, ardent followers of the local league have marveled at how Alagic assembled a team that went on to achieve a historic five-match winning streak and that has punched above its weight when it comes to maintaining their top-flight status – all testament of Alagic’s development of the team.ARRIVAL IN NAKURU ✅We made it safely to Nakuru ahead of our game against Vihiga United tomorrow!#VIHNCS #COYSWN#𝕊𝕚𝕞𝕓𝕒𝕎𝕒ℕ𝕒𝕚𝕣𝕠𝕓𝕚 pic.twitter.com/wbD7ZXkrJ6— Official Nairobi City Stars Fc (@NrbCityStars) July 20, 2021 In his first test against Vihiga, whispers of ‘how will he do?’ will certainly be spreading around. Despite all that has transpired at the club in the past week, the interim head coach is confident that his players who have only lost one game in nine matches will put all that behind and come up good against the county-funded side.”I know a lot is being expected from me because there is a certain standard which has been set by our previous coach. But we have been working together, so it is not something new to me. It is just for me to continue and carry on with where he left,” I know it will not be easy for the boys but the team is well prepared and we are upto the challenge that Vihiga will present,” he told Mozzart Sport.Nairobi City Stars head coach Sanjin Alagic has left the club on mutual consent.This guy is a gentleman. One of the best people you’d interview. Good luck coach Sanjin.#FKFPL pic.twitter.com/B4PNKlbSy9— Ole Teya (@Kevin_teya) July 17, 2021 On the other hand, with only six games to go, and five points away from safety, opponents Vihiga will have to start devising means of picking wins if they are to have any hopes of survival.Their cause is made even harder with the fact that they are not scoring goals, something assistant coach Samuel Twago picked out as an area they need to improve on to boost their chances as they currently boast of being the least scoring team in the league with ten goals.”Striking is a big concern for us and we have to fix our attack. We just have to work with them, try to polish the weaknesses, and see if they can start scoring. My midfield too does not play well and we equally have to address it. I believe that we have a fighting chance and we just need to sharpen the players so that they can lift us from the position we are currently in,” he said.In the two teams’ first leg encounter, both sides walked away with a point apiece as the game ended in a 1-1 even stevens affair. In the second leg, Vihiga will be fighting for their lives while Amboko will be fighting for the start of his reign. Which course will be supreme?The match kicks off at 1300 EAT.
