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Nairobi City Stars are beaming with excitement after finally registering their Japanese striker who will likely make his debut against AFC Leopards on Sunday
Japanese forward Yuto Kusaba is likely to make his long-awaited debut for Nairobi City Stars against AFC Leopards this weekend after finally being cleared.
Kusaba, who has been compared to Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma, signed for City Stars from Embu-based fourth-tier side FC Zenshin last August but it emerged that international guidelines of the FIFA Transfer Matching System (TMS) had not been met before his move, locking him out of action until the January transfer window.
Now, City Stars have finally registered him, making him eligible to play for Simba wa Nairobi, in what will be an addition to an already potent strike force that has scored the most goals in the FKF Premier League so far.
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09:38 - 11.01.2024
FOOTBALL City Stars explain what Japanese striker ‘Mitoma’ will add to their potent attack
Nairobi City Stars are salivating at the prospect of adding their long-waited Japanese attacker Yuto ‘Mitoma’ Kusaba to their front line which has scored the most goals in the FKFPL so far.
“That is behind us as the due process has been followed on both international and local transfer platforms. He is now fully registered,” City Stars team coordinator Samson Otieno said on the club’s website.
“Following the earlier complication, Yuto traveled back to Japan in late September (2023), and returned in early December. He’s been training with the team ever since,” added Otieno.
City Stars have scored 26 goals in 18 games, the most in the division, with Vincent Owino on six, Samuel Kapen on five and Roninson Asenwa having four.
Kapen and Asenwa have also provided four assists apiece, showing just how influential they have been, and seem to be coping well with the absence of last season’s top scorer Kelvin Etemesi, who had scored three by the time he fell ill.
Adding Kusaba to the mix therefore presents an exciting prospect for Simba wa Nairobi who are now second on the log after a record run of seven straight wins.
“Yuto’s availability gives us a good problem to deal with as he adds on to a very active forward line. He brings competitiveness and gives us options to consider,” said City Syars coach Nicholas Muyoti.
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17:00 - 15.12.2023
FKFPL Nairobi City Stars’ striker reveals issues affecting Kenyan football that would be 'unthinkable' in Japan
The Japanese has opened up on the issues endured when he moved to Kenya to kickstart his career, including the standards of officiating and the sorry state of pitches he has described look like "gravel parking lots"
The player, who will don the number 21 shirt, cannot wait to get started.
“It’s been a long wait to get the clearance to play in the Premier League. Expect my goals,” said Kusaba.
The left-footed attacker played for St Andrews University and Basara Hyogo in Japan before coming to Kenya as a volunteer with an Embu-based non-governmental organisation where he got the opportunity to play for FC Zenshin.
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08:30 - 19.01.2024
FKFPL Muyoti waxes lyrical about his young players as City Stars seek to keep pace with Gor Mahia
Nairobi City Stars coach Nicholas Muyoti is delighted by the fact that despite his players' young age and having been plucked from lower divisions, they are challenging for the title
He signed a short-term deal with Zenshin where he was for four months, scoring eight goals in 11 matches, after which he was invited for trials by City Stars who decided to hand him a deal after impressing them.
City Stars will take on AFC Leopards at Bukhungu Stadium on Sunday and their Mitoma will hope to get his first taste of Kenyan Premier League action.
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