AFC Leopards to play Thika United in a warm-up for CAF Championship

AFC Leopards players celebrating a goal in a past match [Photo:Courtesy]

Kenya Premier League side AFC Leopards is set to play hosts Thika United in a pre-season friendly match this Saturday at the Thika Sub County Stadium as they prepare for this year’s CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round.

Thika United did not perform convincingly during the 2017 season that saw them threatened with relegation, although they were lucky to remain in the Kenya top flight league after their win in the KPL playoffs against National Super League side Ushuru FC.

Leopards also struggled largely in the same season where at one point they were losing back to back matches but courtesy to their resurgence late in the season, they managed to finish eighth.

Leopards team manager Gilbert Selebwa said on Tuesday that they will use the Saturday weekend encounter to improve their offensive front and to incorporate the new signings in the squad.

With their new signings, Ingwe are hoping to have an impressive season and to perform convincingly in Confederation Cup preliminary round scheduled to start next month as they aim to reach the group stages.

Ingwe believe they made top signings this season among them three Ghanaian players namely, Erick Bekoe, a striker formerly of Asante Kotoko who also won the Ghana Premier League Golden Boot in 2008 with Kotoko, Isaac Oduro and Prince Papa Arko.

Other players signed by Leopards this season are Jairus Adira from Chemelil Sugar, Ezekiel Otuoma from Western Stima, shot stopper Ezekiel Owade from Nakumatt, Ezekiel Odera from Nairobi City Stars and Collins ‘Gattuso’ Okoth from Gor Mahia.

AFC Leopards qualified for the CAF Confederation Cup after beating Kariobangi Sharks 2-0 in the final of GOtv Shield in October 2017.

The 2017 GOtv champions will face the 2017 Coupe de Madagascar winners in which if they sail through the opening match, they will face the winner between Cameroonian Ngazi Sport and Mauritania AS Port-Louis 2000.