FOOTBALL
AFC Leopards celebrate after beating Nzoia FC 1-0 during the FKF Premier League match at Ruaraka grounds. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]
AFC Leopards closed the gap on FKF Premier League leaders Tusker to within two points after claiming an important victory over Nzoia Sugar over the weekend as football returned under strict Covid-19 protocols after seven weeks out.
The league was suspended on March 26 after President Uhuru Kenyatta banned all sporting activities in the country, owing to the increased Covid-19 infections.
Even though match fitness and player rustiness was largely expected in majority of the round 16 matches, Leopards appeared unfazed after registering a massive 1-0 win in their match against Nzoia Sugar.
Goal on Monday. The players have been out for more than a month, then the game has returned and boom! They get competitive back-to-back matches. We might not see an impact immediately but soon after, we might see players getting injuries that will limit them from playing. We will play yes, as scheduled, but it was too soon; players needed about a week more or so to bring their bodies back to competitive matches. Once the workload increases, we will experience real struggles.
Ingwe were last crowned in 1998 and since then, they have failed to get their hands on the league title. It seems things might be different in the ongoing campaign since the 13-time champions are placed third on the table with 29 points. But Juma does not want to speak about it yet.
Goal on Thursday. But we are confident the coach [Patrick Auseems] will come with a strategy to help us get positive results. The fixture will definitely be tight but we are going to give our best. Of course we will not start from where we were in terms of match and physical fitness, but it will eventually happen when we start to play. As players, we are prepared to give our best because as a team, we feel this is a massive opportunity for us to get the league title. This is our time.
In the 14 matches played this season, the Nairobi-based charges have won nine games, drawn two, and lost three. They have scored 18 goals in the process and conceded nine.
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It is frustrating to be losing games like this. For me, it is the first time that I have had so many negative results in the first-leg at all the teams I have been to. We are down on our luck and it is tough but either way, we have to keep at it and believe in what we are trying to do.
“Going forward I see us improving as we have now had our share of losses for the season.
The soft-speaking tactician further insisted this is not the right time to point fingers to anyone since it will not rectify anything. He has urged everyone involved to act together in unison and try to change their fortune.