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AFC Leopards claw Mathare United, climb to third in FKF Premier League standings
AFC Leopards celebrate a goal against Mathare United in a Kenyan Premier League match at Nyayo National Stadium on November 2, 2025.
What you need to know:
- Leopards' 2-0 victory over Mathare stretches the club’s winning streak to three matches.
- Mathare United ended the day lower than they started it, dropping to 11th with seven points.
Twelve-time Kenyan champions AFC Leopards maintained their unbeaten start to the 2025/26 Football Kenya Federation Premier League season with a 2-0 home win over Mathare United at the Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday.
Vincent Mahiga (48th minute) and James Kinyanjui (80th minute) scored Leopards’ goals, stretching the club’s winning streak to three matches after starting the season with as many draws.
The result catapulted Leopards from sixth to third on the league standings with 12 points. Mathare United ended the day lower than they started it, dropping to 11th with seven points after succumbing to their third loss in four league matches.
AFC Leopards coach, Fred Ambani, did not grant journalists an interview after the match since the club’s secretary general Isaac Mulindi barred him from doing so. Mulindi carted Ambani away just as he was about to give his post-match remarks, with protests from journalists falling on deaf ears.
Ambani’s counterpart, John Kamau, attributed his team’s second loss in as many matches to “a lack of sharpness”.
“We need to improve in our transition. We are struggling in carrying the ball forward after getting to the middle third. We will improve in that aspect when we get injured players like Musa Masika back,” Kamau said.
“It is work in progress. We have young boys we are bringing to the team,” he added.
The loss to AFC Leopards came after a tough seven days for the ‘Slum Boys’, a period during which they also played Shabana (won 1-0 away) and Gor Mahia (lost 2-0 at home). Kamau said the matches tested the tactical flexibility of his team.
AFC Leopard fans celebrate on the streets of nairobi after their team's victory over Mathare United in a Kenyan Premier League match at Nyayo National Stadium on November 2, 2025.
“We tried to be unpredictable and play differently each game. Against Gor Mahia, we played with a back five and today we had a back four,” Kamau said.
“It has been a hectic seven days, and I am happy with the boys. We have played team that are have big fan base in three consecutive matches and after this, we can now be in a position to think right,” Kamau added.
After a goalless first half, Mahiga broke the deadlock three minutes after the restart, finishing a rebound from a Kelly Madada shot.
Still, the day belonged to the in-form James Kinyanjui, the former Mathare United lad who got off to a standing ovation after he was substituted in injury time.
Kinyanjui created Leopards’ winning goal in their 2-1 win over Shabana in midweek after his corner led to an own goal by Tore Bobe. On Sunday, his determination to add to Ingwe’s goal tally manifested in three acts in the second period.
In the 69th minute of the match, his cutback was scooped over the bar by substitute Christopher Koloti. Five minutes, Kinyanjui was on the prowl again but his attempt to loop the on rushing Kevin Ouru was thwarted by a clearance by Francis Kayugi.
Yet, Kinyanjui still persisted and he was rewarded for his efforts in the 80th minute. His run in to the box culminated in tapping the ball home after substitute Julius Masaba set him up following a mazy dribbling run.
Kinyanjui muted his celebration in honour of his former employers but Ingwe fans roared on the terraces as they welcomed their sixth win in seven matches over Mathare United.
