Nairobi Stima tighten grip on top spot in NSL

Nairobi Stima have fired a warning shot to title opponents in the National Super League, saying they will not relinquish the top spot in Kenya’s second-tier football league.

Nairobi Stima, sponsored by Kenya Power, are patched at the top of the 20-team league standings on 13 points and assistant coach Evans Mafuta believes the team has what it takes to qualify for next season’s Kenyan Premier League (KPL).

Out of the five matches that the coach Leonard Odipo’s team has played so far, they have won four and drawn one.

Their latest victory was a 2-0 win over Fortune Sacco at Karuturi Sports Ground on Monday.

Stima kicked-off this season’s campaign with an 8-0 demolition of newcomers Northern Wanderers and later edgeD Kenya Police and APS Bomet 2-1 and 3-2 respectively, before drawing 0-0 with Ushuru.

Mafuta attributed the good performance to team work, adding that his players are taking every match as a final with a sole objective of qualifying for the KPL. “Unity and cohesion in the team has worked for us. Every department is playing its part well just for the team to play in KPL next season,” said Mafuta.

Stima came close to qualifying for the KPL for the first time last season when they lost to Posta Rangers in the play-offs and Mafuta believes this is the season for the club to make amends.

Nairobi City Stars has also come out as title contender in the league.

On Monday, they beat Coast Stima 2-1 to stay second in the league on same number of points as Stima but on inferior goal aggregate. Bidco United, on 12 points, are third after four wins and one loss. For Wanderers, a team from Northern Kenya, misery has persisted in the playing unit after they lost 3-1 to Talanta.

It was the team’s fifth loss of the season, which left them rock bottom of the league table. Other teams that have not recorded a single victory in the league this season are Kenya Police, Modern Coast Rangers, APS Bomet and St Joseph’s Youth.