AFC Leopards seek redemption against Ulinzi Stars

AFC Leopards Coach Patrick Aussems instructing players during FKF Premier league match against KCB at the Thika Stadium on Saturday, October 16, 2021. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

AFC Leopards will be seeking to end their three-match winless run when they host Ulinzi Stars in the round five FKF Premier League match at Thika Stadium on Friday.

The 13-time champions are currently 12th in the log with four points after four matches. Leopards have hit the wall in the 2021-2022 season after failing to win any of their last three matches.

Ingwe started the season on a high after edging out defending champions Tusker 1-0 on the opening day of the season last month before playing out to a barren draw with KCB.

Leopards then followed the draw with a defeat in the Mashemeji Derby where they went down 1-0 to rivals Gor Mahia last week on Wednesday before being caged at the docks 2-1 by Bandari over the weekend.

On the other hand, Ulinzi, under the tutelage of former Kenya international Stephen Ochola, have recorded identical 1-0 wins against Nzoia Sugar and Mathare United in their first two games of the season before a 1-1 draw against Bidco United last weekend.

Out of the five past meetings between the two sides, the “Big Cats” have won four times while one game has ended in a scoreless draw.

Leopards head coach Patrick Aussems decried lack of strikers in his team after the recent poor show, calling for the club’s management to settle the clubs transfer ban and to be able to sign players to help the club. He said the club needs strikers because they have inexperienced players.

Leopards were suspended from signing players for two transfer windows by the world football governing body after failing to clears debts of former tacticians Marko Vasiljevic, Andre Cassa Mbungo, and ex-players Tressor Ndikumana, Vincent Habamahoro, and Soter Kayumba.

Ingwe lost over 10 players including top scorer Elvis Rupia, Bienvenue Shaka and Clyde Senaji which forced them to turn to their academy players this season after they were locked out of signing new players.