FKF PL: Win-craving Bidco United and City Stars to face off at the Kasarani Annex

Bidco United and Nairobi City Stars will face off in what will be the only FKF Premier League match that will be staged on Sunday afternoon before the international break.

The match was initially penciled in for Saturday but was later rescheduled for Sunday at the request of both sides. The match will be played at the Kasarani Annex starting at 3 p.m.

It is a game that both teams will be seeking three points from after managing draws in their opening fixtures of the season a week ago. United settled for a barren draw against Posta, while City Stars missed a last-minute penalty against Muhoroni to settle for a similar result.

The two teams met last month in the Elite Pre-season, where a Chris Ochieng strike settled the game in United's favour. Ochieng has since left for Gor Mahia, leaving United with a light up front.

The Thika-based club have dominated this fixture in recent years. The two teams have met six times since they were promoted to the top tier three years ago. United have won four of the fixtures, while Simba wa Nairobi have managed one triumph; the other fixture ended in a stalemate.

Ahead of the game, Bidco United coach Anthony Akhulia is determined to get all three points in a match that he admits will be far from comfortable.

"It is definitely not going to be an easy game. City Stars are a decent side with a very good coach, and we don't expect an easy game. They also want to win, and as such, it is going to be a well-fought game".

"On our end, it is about preparing well for the game, having a clear plan, and implementing it on the pitch. I believe that if we work on the mistakes made against Posta, we have a chance of getting a win," he stated.

City Stars will miss the services of attacker Yuto Kusaba for the first leg after his registration formalities were not concluded on time before the international transfer window closed on the 21st of November. The Japanese’s signing had elicited excitement among Kenyan football fans, but he will now have to wait longer for his top-flight debut.

"It emerged thereafter that international guidelines of the FIFA Transfer Matching System (TMS) had not been met prior to his move to Simba, Nairobi. That position can only be rectified in the next international transfer window that reopens on January 1, 2024," said City Stars CEO Patrick Korir.

"Based on the foregoing, Yuto, a former player with St. Andrews University, and Basara Hyogo in Japan before coming to Kenya as a volunteer with an Embu-based NGO, where he got the opportunity to feature for FC Zenshin, will have to wait beyond the year 2023 to have a feel of the Kenyan topflight".

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