AFC Leopards make big statement with 5-1 rout of Shabana at Nyayo

AFC Leopards coach, Fred Ambani, has sounded a warning shot to opponents in the Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKF-PL) title race, saying that Sunday’s 5-1 rout of Shabana FC was no fluke.

In the high-stakes match played at Nyayo National Stadium, Leopards striker Samuel Ssenyonjo scored a brace, while Tyson Otieno, Samuel Semo and Kayci Odhiambo added the other goals for “Ingwe”.Shabana netted the consolation through Wycliffe Omondi.

“It is a statement to every team that is coming up against us. If you saw how we played, it was no fluke. It is something we have been working on in training, and it is now paying off,” Ambani said on Sunday after the big win.

Following the huge victory, Leopards reduced Gor Mahia’s lead at the top of the standings to six points. Gor top the standings with 49 points while Leopards are second on 43 points. Shabana are third on 40 points. However, the match was marred by chaotic scenes in the second half, forcing police to lob teargas canisters into the stands to disperse sets of warring fans.

The match was stopped for several minutes. Trouble started when a section of Shabana fans hurled projectiles at their Leopards counterparts after Ssenyonjo had scored the third goal for Leopards. Tens of fans injured in the melee were attended to by the medical personnel.

Heading into the match, Shabana’s coach, Peter Okidi, had vowed that his side would avenge their 2-1 loss to Leopards in the first leg.

However, the Kisii-based side found the going tough, with Leopards thrashing them in a dominant display. Leopards took the lead in the 16th minute with a goal that was nothing short of a work of art. Awarded a free-kick just outside the box, Leopards midfielder Tyson Otieno played a short pass to winger James Kinyanjui, who released Semo with a clever pass on the left of the area.

That move caught Shabana players by surprise, their hurried attempts to dispossess Semo proving futile. Semo kept his composure and beat Shabana goalkeeper Stephen Ochieng with a low, precise finish. Earlier in the second minute, Shabana’s Batshi Assis had forced Leopards goalkeeper James Ssetuba to a brilliant save.

“Ingwe” escaped again when Assis’s header from the resultant corner-kick missed the target narrowly.

Leopards captain Victor Omune wasted a golden opportunity to double Ingwe’s lead in the 23rd minute, ballooning his effort over the bar with only goalkeeper Ochieng to beat after a superb pass. Shabana’s second attempt of the first half came two minutes later, when Assis’s shot was blocked by the Leopards’ defense.

Shabana were forced to make a substitution in the 27th minute after Diallo Papa picked up an injury. He was replaced by Ezekiel Omuri.

Swift counter-attack

With Leopards still the brighter side of the match, Kinyanjui squandered a glorious scoring opportunity in the 37th minute, firing wide from the left after a swift counterattack.

However, in the third minute of added tim win the first half, Tyson Otieno doubled Ingwe’s lead with a clinical finish.

In the second half, substitute Bronson Nsubuga had an immediate impact as he assisted Wycliffe Omondi to a goal. But instead of Shabana levelling the scores, it was Leopards who continued to find the back of the net, scoring three more times.

Substitute Ssenyonjo capitalised on a howler by goalkeeper Ochieng to slot home in an empty net in the 62nd minute before Odhiambo put the match beyond reach eight minutes later. Ssenyonjo bagged a brace in the 74th minute. Leopards could have won the match by a huge margin had they capitalised on all their chances.

Shabana coach Okidi blamed his side’s loss on missed opportunities in the first half and added that the chaos was to get back in the game.

In the other league match played on Sunday, defending champions Kenya Police gunned down Bandari 2-0 at Police Sacco Stadium, while hosts Murang’a Seal defeated Posta Rangers 1-0 at SportPesa Arena.

  Follow our WhatsApp channel for breaking news updates and more stories like this.