Wazito FC sparkle over City Stars to open NSL advantage

Wazito FC who struggled through last season took early charge of the 2017 National Super League (NSL) table with maximum points following their stirring 3-1 away victory over relegated Nairobi City Stars on Sunday.

Kisumu-based Palos FC and former Kenyan Premier League (KPL) side Nakuru All Stars are separated by goal-difference in second and third on four points apiece after drawing 2-2 and 1-1 against Kenya Police and Modern Coast Rangers in the second round of fixtures over the weekend.

The results saw Wazito open a two-point advantage at the top.

National Division One champions, Isebania who hail from South Rift missed the chance to move into the top half of the early table when they pegged back home side Bidco United in a 1-1 stalemate on Saturday.

Isebania head coach cried foul over officiating as his side saw two penalty appeals turned down b the referee.

“The match was tough but not enjoyable and Bidco who are a good team played well and got the first goal but we fought to level matters in the second half.

“We missed a lot of chances and the officiating wasn’t fair to us because besides the penalties denied, we scored a goal towards the end of the first half that was cancelled. We should have bagged all three points,” Mutsa claimed when speaking to Citizen Digital.

The Isebania head coach set his team the lofty target of playing in the KPL next season urging his side to maintain the same standards they displayed away to the side that was pushing for promotion last season.

“We have won the National Division Two and National Division One in the last two seasons and we are going to work hard and win the NSL too to break a promotion record,” Mutsa asserted.

The second round of the NSL saw 25 goals scored over the weekend with new entrants   Eldoret based GFE 105 thumping Talanta FC 5-2 in the biggest goal fest.

Rangers opened their NSL charge by holding Palos to a 2-2 draw in Kisumu after their game against City Stars was postponed last weekend.

It was reported the cash-strapped Kawangware based team who finished bottom of the 2016 KPL could not muster the resources to travel to Mombasa for the game.

They were spared the ignominy of a walkover by the Football Kenya Federation as they seek to put their finances in order to honour their fixtures for the rest of the campaign.

Two teams, labelled X and Y will join the competition when a ruling in the case where Sofapaka FC and Muhoroni Youth FC are challenging their demotion to the NSL is heard and determined by the Sports Disputes Tribunal.

-Additional reporting by Dennis Ohuru

RESULTS

SATURDAY 

Ushuru           1 – 0     Administration police

Bidco              1 – 1     Isebania

Police             1  -1     Nakuru all stars

FC Talanta      2-  5     GFE 105

SUNDAY

Mosca FC             1 – 4      St Josephs

Palos FC               2 – 2    Modern  Coast Rangers

Nairobi city stars    1 – 3      Wazito  FC

STANDINGS