Nairobi City Stars’ star boy Kelvin Etemesi netted a brace to inspire the club to a 2-1 win over AFC Leopards on Monday.The win saw Simba wa Nairobi fully relieve their relegation fears and catapulted the youngster to the top of a rare club record.The brace for Etemesi was his fourth this season making him the first player to achieve that feat at City Stars in the Kenyan topflight league since the 2005/6 premier league season.##NAJAVA_MECA_7292198##According to statistics provided by the club, Etemesi has now gone past Samuel Ouma who scored three braces that season. He top-scored for the club – then known as World Hope – with 13 goals.In the Monday game, Etemesi finished off an Edwin Buliba delivery in the 64th minute to cancel Victor Omune’s 18th-minute opener. He grabbed the winner in the 89th minute after pouncing on a James Mazembe assist.Not only did he break the record of braces scored across 15 years in the Kenyan top league, but it also ended a 16-year wait of City Stars never beating AFC Leopards in an away game.Further, his goals guaranteed Nairobi City Stars’ premier league status as the team moved to the 33-point mark from 31 games, opening a ten-point buffer with three rounds of play left.Meet City Stars midfielder with a big heart for the less fortunate in the societyThe club – then known as World Hope – last beat Leopards (1-0) on 22 January 2006 in Nyayo Stadium during a 14th-round clash in the 2005/6 season. Steve Biko scored the lone goal in the 12th minute.Between then and Monday, City Stars had only managed six away draws and four away defeats against AFC Leopards. Muyoti praises AFC Leopards target EtemesiEtemesi scored his first brace – and top-flight goal – in a 3-0 win over Mathare United on 29 March in Kasrani Annex. He skipped a game and followed it up with his second brace on 9 Apr in a 3-2 loss to Posta Rangers in Police Sacco Stadium.NSL: Shabana defensive midfielder Peter Ogechi bidding to clinch Golden BootAt that point, Etemesi drew level with past City Stars forwards; Ugandan hitmen Jimmy Bageya and Dan Sserunkuma who scored two braces in the 2009 and 2011 seasons, respectively, and Gambian Ebrima Sanneh in the 2015 season.He skipped another game and scored his third brace in a 5-2 win over Vihiga Bullets in Kasarani Annex which drew him level with Samuel Ouma.Etemesi missed out on a consecutive brace in the next game against Kariobangi Sharks at the same venue. He scored once in a 2-1 win.Those goals, added to his latest brace that separate him from the past club hitmen, brought his tally this season to nine.“Etemesi had a slow start to the season. But you can understand that he came from the third tier (Kangemi AllStars) and it took him a while to fully adapt and integrate into the team,” said City Stars team coordinator Samson Otieno in an interview with the club.“But when he got the hang of the premier league, we are seeing a totally different player in the second leg. He has the hunger, has no fear, and has become a go-getter and our go-to forward,”Zambian giants Zesco United courting Kenyan defender Christopher Oruchum“It’s little wonder that the goals in him are now coming out and so far he has scored nine times in the second leg. I believe he will close the season with double digits,” added Otieno.So far, Etemesi has featured in 22 of 31 games this season registering 1,494 minutes. His nine goals have been scored in the last 11 games.Past braces (seasons, player, number)2004/5-Edward Karanja-1, Collins Tiego – 12005/6-John Njoroge-1, Samuel Ouma-32006/7-none2008-none2009-Collins Tiego-1, Jimmy Bageya-22010-none2011- Francis Thairu-1, Dan Sserunkuma-22012-Dan Sserunkuma-12013-Bruno Sserunkuma-12014-none2015-Ebrima Sanneh-22016-none2017-2020 (not in the premier league)2020/21-Anthony Kimani-12021/22-Peter Opiyo-12022/23-Kelvin Etemesi-4Additional Reporting by Nairobi City Stars
