Photo Credit - AFC Leopards SC Media.
AFC Leopards head coach Fred Ambani has revealed their readiness to take on rivals Gor Mahia in the first round fixture of the FKF Premier League at Nyayo Stadium on Sunday.
The two Kenyan giants are yet to face off this season, with the Mashemeji derby being postponed twice already. However, with FKF securing Nyayo Stadium for the clash, the game will now kick-off at 4pm.
“For me as a coach, it is a very normal game, but for the fans the game looks very different, but for me, I treat it as a very normal game, as much as it is a big match, it is a derby, so we prepare with the weight it comes with,” Ambani told Pan-Africa Football.
“It is not going to be an easy game, they have a new coach but we have been around here for a long time now, we anticipate a huge test from our rivals, but we have planned to tackle the game, the way they will approach it, and the most important part is to prepare some of the players here, who have not played in a derby before mentally.
“They must be ready mentally to take on the pitch and get the result we want, even the crowd could frighten them, so we must prepare them (players) well, we will do our best, to prepare them physically, mentally, and tactically ready, we want them to be ready in all aspects because our main aim is to go for a win and three points on offer.”
Ambani continued: “I have played in the derby before, I played it while here at AFC Leopards, so I understand the meaning of the derby and the importance that comes with any derby, and what is needed from the derby.
“I don’t fear derby, we are ready for derby, we have been ready for the derby, and my players are ready for the derby, it is a different ball game, the rivalry will be on parade, we anticipate a good game, but we will be the home team and must show that we are the home team.”
While Ingwe are sitting fifth on the 16-team league table with 36 points from 23 matches, Gor Mahia, who are the record league champions, are placed third with 42 points from the same number of matches.
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