FKFPL Kelvin Etemesi's brace for City Stars completes comeback win over AFC Leopards

The talented youngster scored a brace as Nairobi City Stars came from behind to beat AFC Leopards 2-1.

A brace by Kelvin Etemesi was enough as Nairobi City Stars bravely fought from a goal down to beat AFC Leopards 2-1 in a match played at the Nyayo Stadium on Monday.

AFC Leopards opened the scoring through Victor Omune in the 21st minute. Left back Eric Mbithi hit a left footed ball from his area which Stars could not control, before it landed onto the feet of Omune who nonchalantly slotted it home through Steve Njunge's feet.

Omune should have doubled his tally for the day moments later, after winger Jaffary Owiti ran at pace on City Stars’ Eric Buliba before cutting it back to Omune, but the Kenyan international could not capitalize on the chance.

City Stars’ first real chance came in the 28th minute when Buliba ran with the ball down the right flank before he found Levis Baraza who had occupied a neat pocket of space, but Baraza hit it wide.

Leopards were keen to sniff at every opportunity to score, and they won a freekick as Omune tried to dribble his way into the box, but winger Cliff Nyakeya hit the ball wide.

Nyakeya should have scored from the resulting goal kick after Robert Mudenyu turned over possession as Simba wa Nairobi attempted to play out from the back, but he hit the ball just over.

AFC Leopards started well in the second half and nearly went 2-0 up in the 48th minute when right-back Peter Thiong'o sliced a neat ball towards Nyakeya, who then hit a cross that caused confusion in the Stars box, forcing Buliba to frantically send the ball away to safety for a corner kick.

There was a rare moment of panic when Clifford Otieno and Dennis Wanjala accidentally collided and the latter was unable to continue, forcing head coach Nicholas Muyoti into making four different changes in efforts to be more positive.

The changes clearly looked to work, as Stars became more positive. They equalized through Kevin Etemesi after Buliba sent a great ball into the box which the Ingwe defense failed to clear before the 20-year-old slotted it home.

Stars momentum was continuing to slowly gain traction and just minutes later, could have scored again when substitute Newton Ochieng hit a low drilled shot from just outside the area, but it sailed just wide of Levis Opiyo’s net.

Another well-constructed move moments later by City Stars in the 72nd minute resulted in Dennis Oalo hitting the shot wide, as Simba wa Nairobi continued to show their brave fight against the threat of relegation.

Stars’ pressure to go ahead eventually bore fruit in the 89th minute, as Etemesi made it two, with Stars’ brave display leading to a chance which he duly took the Simba wa Nairobi held on and won 2-1.

The result means they have now climbed up to 14th place with three matches to go. 

Line ups:

AFC Leopards XI: Levis Opiyo, Peter Thiong’o, Robert Mudenyu, Washington Munene, Eric Mbithi, Brian Wanyama (Maxwell Otieno 75’), Musa Oundo, Cliff Nyakeya, Eugine Mukangula, Jaffari Owiti ( Asad Abdulah 80’) , Victor Omune 

Nairobi City Stars XI: Steve Njunge, Kennedy Onyango, Timothy Muganda, Buliba Edwin, Dennis Wanjala (Calvins Masawa 60’),Clifford Otieno (Newton Ochieng 60’), Vincent Owino, Andrew Kisilu (James Mazembe 60’), Samwel Kapen (Mohammed Alli 83’) ,Kevin Etemesi, Levis Barasa( Denis Oalo 60’)