It was a really good game to analyze. Noting the high level of quality on show by both clubs and the level of intensity applied, with Nairobi City Stars looking to all but secure safety in the league and a wounded AFC Leopards looking to get back to winning ways. The tactical battle between two very good coaches who know each other’s tactical features well was the recipe for a mind boggling match up.In this piece, we set to look at how Coach Nicholas Muyoti looked to control AFC Leopard’s pressing and width in possession with Nairobi City Stars midfielder Vincent Owino playing a key role in controlling the central spaces.In possession, AFC Leopard’s usually play with a three at the back, with wingers sliding inside, but also ready to jump in order to combine quickly with the advancing fullbacks or central midfielders drifting wide to quickly in the channels. City Stars 1-4-4-2 out of possession aids them in controlling opponent’s central penetration. In this game, AFC Leopards set up with a midfield three with a combination of efficiency,innovation and build up progression. Due to Musa Oundo’s cover shadow, AFC Leopards looked to disturb City Stars with various moves, Victor Omune dropping off frequently, with Jaffar Owiti and Cliff Nyakeya advancing off him. Brian Wanyama would also participate up front in the wide build ups and rotations.##NAJAVA_MECA_7283857##Both teams, lay major emphasis on cutbacks, with proper positioning on the cross balls, having a player run for the near post while late runners looking to attack the cutbacks. The team also employ appreciate half space attacks, with the proverbial long ball into the channel setting up most of the dangerous attacks in the game.As stated in the initial paragraphs, Nairobi City Star’s coach Nicholas Muyoti managed to control AFC Leopard’s pressing to progress vertically. Vincent Owino had the key role to drop off suddenly to attract Brian Wanyama’s press which woul automatically initiate the AFC Leopards pressing process. Then by giving the ball to the centre back, a ball would go into the channel and it is at this precise stage where five AFC Leopards players would be eliminated in two passes. Through this way City Stars would find zones to end up in positional advantages, especially in the channels where they were able to exploit the 1v1 threat of Samuel Kapen and the trickery and work rate of Kelvin Etemesi. The fact that one of their two fullbacks would remain deep in a low build up showed they were also wary of Leopard’s threat.With a measured approach to the game. Even after Victor Omune had slotted in a goal early on for Leopards. City Stars always looked threatening with the control they had. Their resolute midblock also ensured that the only way AFC Leopards could take advantage was by creating overload scenarios around the ball carrier. Looking also to employ a lethal counter press as City Stars would majorly look to combine with short quick passes before going long.This tough mid block saw a very good adaptation by the AFC Leopards technical team, Eugene Mukangula would look to drop deep in the build up phase, and use his impeccable long range passing skills to clinically switch the ball, thanks to those switches, AFC ended up on the other side in numerical superiority and dislocated City Stars out of possession structure. Quantitative superiority would also be applied in this zone with the 1v1 threat of Cliff Nyakeya and Jaffari Owiti.City Stars settled build up play. One pass into the lane eliminates five AFC Leopards playersHowever, Nicholas Muyoti found a solution to control Leopards use of width in the build up phase. He forced his wingers to step back a little. This would reduce the distances between the fullbacks and the centre backs and create possibilities of a double team. City Stars consequently transformed into a 1-4-1-3-2 pressing structure. As AFC Leopards looked to overthrow central spaces and go into the channels, Coach Nicholas Muyoti saw no need of his two midfielders staying on the same line as a double pivot, hence pushing one higher up.The introduction of Newton Ochieng centrally and the wide threat of James Mazembe, paired with the technical brilliance of Mohammed Bajaber. Gave City Stars even more stability and threat. Newton Ochieng, Vincent Owino and Kelvin Etemesi made a fantastic performance in ball retention and catalyzing the build up phases.Against All Odds: The inspirational journey of Paul Jawa, refugee turned football starThe above is how City Stars adapted to the in game structure and controlled AFC Leopards pressing and overloads by being very resolute and getting their substitutions right, and controlling the channels well. The 2-1 win for the ‘Simba wa Nairobi’ sees them all but secure safety in the FKF Premier League.
