Yakhama adds fuel to crunch Mathare tie

By Gilbert Wandera

AFC Leopards’ coach Nick Yakhama has added fuel to their crunch tie on Saturday against champions Mathare United by saying, "it is all or nothing."

He said: "For us, there is nothing else to expect except victory. We are going into the match a highly motivated side after our win over Ulinzi."

He went on: "Unlike our opponents who have already survived relegation, we badly need the points. It is doubftul United will win the league but as for us it is a do or die match."

Yakhama said he is not worried about other relegation candidates insisting that he is only concerned with getting positive results in the coming matches.

Said Yakhama:"We want to win and are not depending on so and so to lose. Once we win it is none of our business how the other teams perform."

Yakhama spoke at Ikulu grounds yesterday as a group of fans came out to offer financial motivation to the team as they fight against relegation from the top league.

The team players have been promised Sh20,000 for every win they register in the remaining six matches of the league.

Leopards need to win at least half of them to be sure of surviving relegation.

A former official of the club Antony Walela is leading the initiative and yesterday visited the players at Ikulu ground.

Well-Wishers

Walela asked other well-wishers to come up with similar incentives for the team to motivate them to remain in the league.

"As fans we need to turn up and help the club instead of looking from the sidelines. That is why we have launched this initiative," he said.

Leopards’ Secretary General Richard Ekhalie thanked the fans and said the club has launched a membership drive to encourage like- minded individuals to make monthly contributions to the club’s kitty.

"We are targeting 1,000 members who will contribute Sh.1,000 every month. This will enable us to meet our monthly budget comfortably. We want to move away from depending on individuals to sustain the club," he said.