NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 06 – Goals in either half from Nicholas Kipkurui and Davis Agesa handed Nairobi City Stars a 2-0 victory over Ulinzi Stars at the Ruaraka Grounds on Sunday to book them a date against Bidco United in the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) Betway Cup quarter finals.
City Stars were completely dominant over the soldiers to pick the victory and keep their charge for a first ever major trophy alive.
The military side had a brighter start to the match and came close in the seventh minute when Clinton ‘Aguero’ Omondi rifled a volley on the first time from a long ball, but it flew over the bar.
Masita Masuta also had an effort at goal when he turned to shoot, but once again, his effort couldn’t land on target.
City Stars thought they had the lead after 19 minutes when Bolton Omwenga’s corner was connected into the net by Kipkurui, but the ref whistled for a foul on keeper James Saruni.
On the other end, Ulinzi came close again but keeper Stephen Njung’e came to City Stars’ rescue with a decent one handed save to turn John Njuguna’s freekick behind for a corner.
City Stars broke the deadlock seven minutes to the break when Kipkurui finally had his first goal since joining City Stars, nodding the ball home at the backpost from a well delivered Antony Kimani freekick.
Nairobi CIty Stars striker Nicholas Kipkurui controls the ball under pressure from Ulinzi’s Brian Birgen. PHOTO/Raymond Makhaya
A minute to the break, the soldiers almost equalized when Brian Birgen played a neat interchange of passes with Njuguna, but his eventual shot rolled just inches wide off target.
Three minutes after the break, City Stars scored the second to put the game firmly in their control, much thanks to an error from the otherwise efficient Saruni.
The keeper spilled a seemingly harmless shot and Agesa who was chasing down the line picked it up and tapped into an empty net.
They could have been 3-0 up in the 64th minute but Saruni made a good save to parry away Sven Yidah’s well diced shot for a corner.
Ulinzi made effort to try and get themselves back into the game, but they couldn’t break an otherwise resolute City Stars defense.
