Leopards clawed out: Simba edge Ingwe in Mapinduzi Cup opener

By GILBERT WANDERA

AFC Leopards players react after a past Kenyan Premier League match. [PHOTO: BONIFACE OKENDO/STANDARD]

GOtv Shield champions AFC Leopards lost their opening match of the Mapinduzi Cup tournament after going down 1-0 to Tanzanian club Simba on Wednesday night.

The two-week tournament is being used by participating teams to prepare for the new season, which kicks off next month.

The event is also being used to mark Zanzibar’s 50th anniversary celebrations and has a lucrative Sh800,000 cash prize for the winner.

Despite holding Simba for long periods in the match, Leopards finally cracked with less than 20 minutes to go before the match ended.

The Leopards’ defence, which has recently been boosted by the signing of veterans James Situma and Joseph Shikokoti, fell apart, allowing Amir Kiemba to slot home the all-important goal for Simba in the 77th minute.

Before the goal, Leopards had looked determined to pick a point from this fixture and start the new year on a positive note but it was not to be.

In another match also played on Wednesday, Ugandan club KCC had to fight hard before dispatching Zanzibar side KMKM 3-2 in an early kick-off.

Yanga pulled out

Tusker, the other Kenyan representatives in the competition, were due to take on Ashanti of Tanzania on Thursday evening. Ashanti were brought in to replace Tanzanian giants Yanga who pulled out of the tournament at the last minute.

The results by Leopards have elicited varied reactions from their die-hard fans, with some seeing it as a bad omen to start the year while others have called for coach James Nandwa to be given more time to build a formidable squad.

blunt front

Mathias Ndeta, posting on the AFC Leopards Facebook page, said: “We are likely to start the year on a losing note.” Another fan, Wilson Nganyi said: “Our front was blunt. We have adopted Luc Eymael’s style of attacking football by having speed wingers, hii system ya Nandwa bado.”

Fans, however, remain optimistic of a great year for Leopards as the new year began.

The AFC followers are optimistic that Leopards will do well this season and even win the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) title.

The high expectations seem to be anchored on the club’s recent signings, which saw them bring on board the KPL Player of the Year and Golden Boot winner, Jacob Keli, who was formerly at Kenya Commercial Bank.

One of the fans, Micah Salo Wanjala, said he expects the team to reach group stages of the Confederations Cup, win the league title and successfully defend the GOtv Shield title.

And another fan, Siyabonga Gichana, said he expects the team to win the KPL title as well as beat arch-rivals Gor Mahia four times. Geoffrey Tarus said he expects the club to win the league while Charles Konzoro said he looks forward to a politics-free year and for all the players to be given a chance to prove themselves.

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