Elite Pre-Season Cup: Bidco down City Stars in opener

Chris Ochieng came off the bech to score the all-important goal as Bidco United beat Nairobi City Stars 1-0 in the opening Elite Pre-season match staged at the Utalii Grounds on Monday morning.

The match was largely a balanced affair early on with the teams sizing each other up. Clear cut chances were however few apart.

Dennis Oalo and trialist Robinson Asenwa came close for City Stars while new signings Clinton Asiago and Erick Michibu were Bidco's main attacking threat.

"My first half team did not play too well but the second team was better, and scored a goal which I believe we deserved. But overall I think we struggled in midfielder and that's an area that we need to work on in the coming matches," Bidco coach Anthony Akhulia said.

"Today we chose to field majorly trialists who have been training with us. We decided to rest most of our key players so that we can see what the new players that we intend to sign can do. A good number impressed and we will now sit and make a decision on who to sign," City Stars assistant coach Peter Opiyo states.

Most of action shifted to the middle of the pack midway through the first half. It was a battle between Martin Nderitu and John Owira on Bidco's side and Vincent Otieno and Clifford Ouma on City Stars' side with a few chances created.

The first half ended barren.

Second half

Bidco made wholesale changes before the restart while Simba wa Nairobi opted to retain nine of those who started.

New signing Brian Mboya twice came close to breaking the deadlock in the 49th and 53rd minutes. His first shot was saved by Edwin Mukolwe on City Stars goal while the second narrowly missed the goal.

Next was another new Bidco signing Shariff Musa who after beating a couple of defenders saw his shot cum cross saved in the 56th minute.

Samuel Kapen should have given Nairobi City Stars the lead in the 61st minute but the player somehow miscued his effort with the goal at his mercy.

The opening goal finally came in the 64th minute through Bidco substitute Chris Ochieng. The attacker's law shot from the edge of the area beat Mukolwe for a largely deserved opener.

Kapen had a great opportunity in the 75th minute from a freekick but his thunderous effort narrowly missed the target.

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In the end United picked three points.

Posta Rangers takes on Kariobangi Sharks at the same venue from 2PM EAT.