Football

AFC Leopards and Kenya Police thrive as other fixtures are postponed

AFC Leopards forward Aziz Osaka in action during the match © AFC Leopards

By Michael Kirwa | Sunday, May 5, 2024

AFC Leopards edged Bandari by a solitary goal while Kakamega Homeboyz lost 1-2 to Kenya Police

AFC Leopards returned to winning ways with a 1-0 victory over Bandari in a Round 28 FKFPL tie played at the Dandora Stadium in Nairobi on Sunday.

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Cliffton Miheso scored the game's only goal in the 36th minute to allow Ingwe to rise to sixth on the log with 41 points as Bandari to fifth with 45 points.

AFC Leopards' rise to sixth place was largely helped by Kakamega Homeboy failed to get a result against Kenya Police whom they lost 2-1 at home to in a match that was played at the Mumias Sports Complex on Sunday.

Kakamega Homeboyz looked to have secured maximum when veteran Kevin Amwayi put them 1-0 up in the 45th minute.

However, the visiting aside proved why they remain unbeaten in 2024 and turned tables on Abana Abeingo in the second half.

South Sudanese forward Tito Okello equalised for the law enforcers in the 60th minute to take his goals tally in the last four league rounds to five.

Substitute Marvin Nabwire completed Kenya Police's comeback with a goal in the 88th minute to help his team secure a result that still keeps them nine points behind league league Gor Mahia with 51 points in second place.

Meanwhile, FKF was on Sunday morning forced to postpone the Nairobi City Stars vs Ulinzi Stars and Posta Rangers vs Talanta matches which were scheduled to be played at the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos as a double header.

FKF did not provide a new date for the matches.

The federation postponed the match due to the playing surface becoming waterlogged due to the heavy rains that have been experienced in the countries recently.

The stadium had hosted the Sofapaka vs Shabana match on Saturday which was played on a muddy surface that had players struggling to control and pass the ball.

Shabana won the match 1-0 courtesy of a goal scored by Brian Michira which resulted from Shabana FC players playing aerial passes before the scorer expertly volleyed the ball into the net from the edge of the box. It was clearly a goal that was scored from Shabana being forced to improvise their play to overcome the pitch's poor surface.

The postponement also follows video clips that went viral on Saturday after Kenyan football enthusiasts raised concerns about Sunderland Samba hosting its Kenyan Women National Super League match against Mathare Women on a waterlogged pitch at the Mutuini Primary School.

One of the video clips showed an assistant referee going about his work knees deep in water that had logged along the touchline.

The postponement of the two Round 28 matches as well as the incident witness at Mutuini Primary School highlight the urgent need for the country to have more quality football pitches as well as FKF to take precautionary measures that mitigate against matches having to be played on poor surfaces.