Stima coach bemoans woeful defending in the wake of weekend defeat

National Super League leaders Western Stima head coach Richard Makumbi has rued his team’s defensive blunders that made them succumb to their second loss of the season, falling 0-1 to Nairobi Stima on Sunday.

At their home turf, the Moi stadium at Kisumu, the former Kenya Premier League side lost 1-0 to their nemesis and it was their first loss of the season in their backyard.

Speaking to the Citizen Digital, Mukumbi blamed his defence while also adding that his side was simply ‘unlucky’.

Makumbi has however vowed to rectify his team’s mistakes before they face Talanta in their next assignment.

“My backline was very weak because we had two red cards in Geoffrey Ochieng and Mukhisa Junior, and that was a big blow because losing two dependable players at one time it is not easy,”  Makumbi who has guided the team to 10 wins after 17 rounds of the second tier, bemoaned.

The loss, coupled with a Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) 2-0 win over Coast Stima at the weekend, reduces Stima’s lead at the top to just five points. They top the log with 35 points from 17 matches while the bankers follow up close closely on 30 points, having played a game less.

At Camp Toyoyo, 14th placed Adminstration police bounced back from a 5-1 defeat in their last match to edge out Talanta 1-0 on Sunday, with Alfred Ochole slotting the solo goal in the second half following poor defending by Police.

The loss leaves Talanta FC in 12th place with 21 points, one above 13th placed Coast Stima who were beaten 2-0 by second placed KCB on Saturday. They now have to turn things around as they prepare to take on league leaders Western Stima on Friday.

In another match played at the same venue, Ushuru was held to a 0-0 draw by GFE 105. The Taxmen are third on the log with 29 points from 16 matches.

SUMMARISED NSL WEEK 17 RESULTS

Ushuru 0-0 GFE 105 (Camp Toyoyo)

Kisumu All-Stars 0-2 Nairobi City Stars (Moi Stadium, Kisumu)

KCB 2-0 Coast Stima (Camp Toyoyo

Kangemi All-Stars 1-2 Kibera Black Star

Modern Coast Rangers 2-1 Bidco United (Mbaraki Sports Club)

Western Stima 0-1 Nairobi Stima (Moi Stadium, Kisumu)

Kenya Police 4-1 Green Commandos (Karuturi Grounds)

Administration Police 1-0 FC Talanta

*Additional report from Robbie Chome