IT'S HEAD TO HEAD: Ultimate showdown as eternal rivals AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia face off today

AFC Leopards fans reacts in the stands during their Top 8 football match against Tusker FC on Sept 27, 2015 at Nyayo Stadium. [Photo:DENNIS OKEYO/STANDARD] (R) Gor Mahia fans celebrates their goal against Ulinzi during their Sportpesa Premier League at Nyayo Stadium in Nairobi on Sept. 14, 2016. DENNIS OKEYO

For the 80th time, Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards clash with one big thing at stake — bragging rights.

Beyond the bragging rights, Gor Mahia will be seeking a win not only to remain in the title race but also end their three-year winless streak against their arch rivals.

They come into this game with contrasting ambitions. Defending champions Gor Mahia badly need a win to reduce the gap between them and Tusker at the top of the table. AFC Leopards on the other hand are gunning to move away from the lower rungs of the table where they have been rooted.

Gone are the days when this game would elicit great interest, days when the Nyayo Stadium would be filled to capacity. The days when each and every player on the pitch would be a candidate for national team selection. But one thing has remained constant: the deep-seated rivalry between them.

These are not the days of Allan Thigo or Wilberforce Mulamba — great names in African football. These are not the days Nairobi would come to a standstill just because the sound of Isukuti of Gor Biro Yawne Yo would reverberate. No, these are the days when AFC Leopards has sunk so low to become also-rans in the league while Gor Mahia has lost the arrogance they had in the seventies and eighties. Yet still, it remains the biggest derby in the region, second only to the Dar-es-Salaam derby of Yanga and Simba or the Cairo derby of Al Ahly and Zamalek or the Johannesburg clash between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates.

Gor Mahia has not forgiven AFC Leopards for ending their 35-match unbeaten run early in the season while on the other hand Leopards envy Gor Mahia’s record of being 15-time Kenyan Premier League champions including winning it three times in a row.

Gor Mahia coach Jose Marcello 'Ze Maria' Ferreira may have made it look like any other match in his comments but this is the Mashemeji Derby, not just any other match.

“Its a tough game, but just like any other match, it is only three points at stake which we dearly need at this point in time,” said the Brazillian.

To any Gor fan, this is not any other match, this is The Match.

Gor have always been favourites for the last three years but have won none of them. They last time they won was in 2013 when they also won the league and AFC Leopards were second.

On paper, K’Ogalo have a better squad, but they have lost the winning touch and look to be losing the league title they have had a tight grip on for the last three years.

Leopards may be looking a weaker side, but they managed to beat K’Ogalo in the first leg with a virtually makeshift side - and this is what makes this game hard to predict.

Gor Mahia has brought back Collins 'Gattusso' Okoth, the midfield general who scored the winning goal exactly six years ago to the day but they will likely be without captain Musa Mohamed who limped off in their midweek match against Western Stima.

It will be interesting to see who will partner Haron Shakava at the back though Ze Maria has the option of bringing in Luke Ochieng with Eric Ouma and Karim Nzigiyimana on the left and right fullback positions respectively.

A Collins Okoth and Francis Kahata midfield backed by Godfrey Walusimbi and George 'Blacklberry' Odhiambo on the flanks can give Leopards some tough moments but they will also have to supply Jacques Tuyisenge and Meddie Kagere upfront, something that has been lacking.

AFC Leopards will be without Allan Katerega who is out on suspension, but the return of Paul Kiongera who scored against Ulinzi Stars will be a boost. With Kiongera and Kepha Aswani upfront for Ingwe and Musa Mohamed missing in the Gor defence, it will be an interesting battle to man the two.

But Ingwe’s weakest point has been its midfield where Bernard Mang’oli has lost form yet he is the one to be relied on for the supplies to Aswani and Kiongera. The defence has also been leaking with Ingwe struggling to keep clean sheets.

Stand-in coach Ezekiel Akwana is likely to be on the bench for Leopards with new coach Stewart Hall yet to take up his role. Akwana will be in charge of the derby for the first time.