Nairobi City Stars will hope to kick-start their survival campaign when they face a resurgent FC Talanta at Dandora Stadium in a Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKFPL) match on Friday afternoon.City Stars sit at the bottom of the 18-team table with 18 points, while Talanta, also in the relegation zone, are 16th with 21 points after 21 rounds of action.Simba wa Nairobi have struggled for most of the season and remain winless since the turn of the year, extending their poor run to nine matches without a victory.##NAJAVA_MECA_8720359##Under head coach Salim Babu, who took charge less than a month ago, the club is coming off a 5-0 drubbing by high-flying Kakamega Homeboyz. Before that, they managed a 1-1 draw against fellow relegation-threatened side Bidco United.Earlier results include back-to-back 1-0 losses to AFC Leopards and Bandari FC and a 1-1 draw against KCB, a match Babu watched from the stands before officially taking over from Nicholas Muyoti, who has since joined Nairobi United in the second tier.City Stars’ last victory came on Saturday 7 December 2024, when Rowland Makati’s 55th-minute strike secured a win over Murang’a Seal at Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos.Where to watch and ticket prices of Harambee Starlets Women’s AFCON qualifier against TunisiaAdding to their struggles, the team has lost key attacking midfielder Mohammed Bajaber to Kenya Police and defender Clifford Omondi to Bandari. However, the club remains optimistic that youngster Gilbert Abala can step up.“Abala has been in top form, and age is on his side. I see him filling Bajaber’s role. Whenever a player leaves, it’s an opportunity for others to step up, and we are confident that will happen in this case,” said assistant coach Patrick Githaiga.City Stars, who opted out of the Mozzart Bet Cup to focus on their survival battle, are expected to reinforce their squad. Gor Mahia midfielder Kevin Juma is reportedly set to join, while defender Salim Hamisi and winger James Mwangi from Tusker have been linked with a reunion with Babu at the capital club.##NAJAVA_MECA_8720353##Meanwhile, Talanta will aim to build on their thrilling 3-2 win over Bandari in Mombasa last weekend as they push to escape the relegation zone.Under coach Jackline Juma, the Communication Authority of Kenya-sponsored side has won only two of their last five matches.Before beating Bandari, they suffered a 4-1 loss to Mara Sugar in Awendo, drew 1-1 with Mathare United, and lost 2-1 to Posta Rangers. However, they stunned AFC Leopards with a 4-2 victory.Swedish-based Harambee Stars legend slams state of ‘dangerous’ Kenyan stadiaDespite their recent form, Talanta has struggled against City Stars, failing to beat them in over three years. Their last win against Simba Wa Nairobi came on December 20, 2022, with a 2-1 scoreline.City Stars have dominated the fixture, winning two of the last four meetings 3-0, while the other two ended in draws. Notably, this matchup has never produced a goalless draw.A win for City Stars would lift them to 16th place, while maximum points for Talanta would move them to 14th, taking them out of the relegation zone for the first time this year.
