In a transitional season where Nairobi City Stars have spent an awful lot of time on the wrong end of the table as compared to an impressive fifth place finish last season, things are now looking up for Simba wa Nairobi, and there were lesser men happier than head coach Nicholas Muyoti as his side braved another hurdle in their step in FKFPL title chasing Tusker FC last Wednesday.“This is I would say has been my toughest season as a head coach,” Muyoti said with a smile after his side’s 0-0 draw with the Brewers at the Ruaraka Grounds. “I have seen new things that I had not experienced before but yeah, it has been a great learning process for me and the team.”The gaffer leads us to Ulinzi Sports Complex to face Ulinzi Stars this sunday at 3pm #simbawanairobi pic.twitter.com/16fUSlE1a4— Official Nairobi City Stars Fc (@NrbCityStars) May 5, 2023 City Stars – after the league first leg – were staring at being relegated from the top tier division but after what Muyoti described as a ‘solid’ second leg thus far, the team is now 14th on the log and six points clear of Mathare UInited – who occupy the relegation/promotion playoff place in 16th.“The second leg has been us coasting through the maturity phases,” Muyoti said looking back at the gains made by his young group of players. “We have come a long way since we brought in the younger guys in. Of Course the first leg was hell but we seem to have learnt of our past mistakes and are not in the mood to repeat them.”##NAJAVA_MECA_7235095##Some of the concerns the former player had was the naivety with his players on both ends of the pitch – one ticking later on this season and providing them a launching pad.“On the balance of play I could say I am delighted with the character the team has shown in defense,” Muyoti said. “Keeping clean sheets is always pivotal for a team fighting to stay in the league and as you have noted, we have done that well in the past few games.”City Stars are un-breached in the last two games after consecutive draws with teams higher than them on the table; Kakamega Homeboyz and Tusker while conceding once in their 2-1 victory against Kariobangi Sharks in the previous fixture.Sharks head coach delighted with ‘rare’ clean sheet in Posta Rangers draw“What is left now is to work on our finishing,” the tactician added. “We had good opportunities to win today especially with the Samuel Kapen chance but it got away.“Just a few mistakes which we can rectify.”Opting to look ahead rather than focus on the battle going on behind their backs, Muyoti is hopeful that “the club management finds it better to maintain this squad for continuity” as the team focuses to toughen up in their remaining six games of the season.City Stars next play Ulinzi Stars on Sunday at the Ulinzi Sports Complex. The match kicks off at 1500hrs.
