Nairobi City Stars midfielder Elvis Ojiambo has explained why his Football Kenya Federation Premier League debut was laden with pressure.
The teenager made his debut against Nzoia Sugar, a game which his side won 2-0 at the William Ole Ntimama Stadium on November 29. He was paired in the midfield alongside experienced Peter Opiyo.
“For me, it was such a big game. I have to admit that I was very nervous before and during the game,” Ojiambo told the club’s portal. “It was my first ever Premier League game and it was a very big one for me.
“It came with pressure.”
The former Kibera Black Stars midfielder played for slightly over an hour before he was replaced by Sven Yidah, who was signed from Kariobangi Sharks.
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Ojiambo also earned another start in the second Premier League game which they lost against KCB at Kasarani on Friday. The midfielder has drawn comparisons between the Nzoia Sugar and the KCB games.
“It [the KCB game] was the second Premier League game and there was little pressure compared to the first,” he continued. “I am now slowly coming to terms with playing the games at this level.”
In the Narok game, Ojiambo’s younger sibling Timothy Noor Ouma – the reigning Rift Valley Chapa Dimba Most Valuable Player – also made his Premier League debut after when he came on for Oliver Maloba.
Steve Njunge, who denied Cliff Kasuti a goal from the penalty spot during their game against Nzoia Sugar, Herit Mungai Atariza, Kennedy Onyango, Salim Abdalla, Wycliffe Otieno, Peter Opiyo and Agesa are the players who earned full debuts in Simba wa Nairobi colours.
Yidah earned his 98th appearance in the Premier League.
Anthony Kimani and former Gor Mahia star Maloba are the only players who featured against Nzoia Sugar in Narok who have played in the Premier League for the Kawangware-based side previously.
The Kawangware club will face Bandari on December 11 before a game against their former NSL rivals Bidco United on December 17.
Eyes are on Nairobi City Stars to see whether they will replicate their NSL dominance in the Premier League after they were relegated two seasons ago.