Five-star AFC Leopards rout sorry Shabana in chaotic contest to rekindle title hopes

AFC Leopards rekindled their hopes of lifting the FKF Premier League title after cruising to a 5-1 victory over Shabana in a chaotic match at the Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday, 1 March.

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Ingwe, who on Saturday saw their deficit to leaders Gor Mahia extend to nine points, put to bed their gut-wrenching midweek defeat to KCB with a five-star, dominant show over their hapless visitors to remain within touching distance of their arch-rivals.

The events at the stadium were not smooth however, as chaos in the stands forced the match to be halted for 10 second-half minutes.

Fracas seemed to ensue between both sets of fans on one side of the stadium shortly after AFC Leopards had scored their third goal in the 68th minute, with the match coming to a halt two minutes later after police hurled teargas to disperse the crowd.

It would take for the intervention of AFC Leopards chairman Boniface Ambani, Shabana Secretary General Elizaphan Kerama, and FKF Vice President McDonald Mariga to restore order, even as all players involved stepped to the opposite side of the pitch.

Play later resumed in the 81st minute, and extended to over 100 minutes, as center referee Isaac Hamisi added 15 minutes of stoppage time.

Besides the chaos, which began at the gates before kickoff and later left the stadium partially empty at full time, it was a memorable day for AFC Leopards, who put together one of their best performances to rout a Shabana side that came into the game without defeat in their last eight matches in all competitions.

Samuel Semo got the Ingwe party started in the 17th minute when he rounded off a well-constructed free-kick, before the impressive Tyson Otieno added a second at the stroke of half-time.

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Shabana thought they had found a route back in the game when Wycliffe Omondi headed home from a corner, but that ultimately served as the consolation as Leopards turned on the screw to hit back almost immediately, through substitute Samuel Ssenyonjo.

There was no stopping for Fred Ambani’s side after the brief stoppage, as both Kayci Odhiambo and Ssenyonjo scored to add misery to visiting Shabana, who remained third on 40 points.

Match Report

Given the hype that naturally sorrounds both teams, this fixture had all the makings of a high-stakes contest, their positions on the high echelons of the table adding some spice for those who needed a second invitation.

Shabana, riding on an eight-game unbeaten run that coincided with a last-gasp victory over Mathare United in midweek, came in with their tails up, while questions were abound for AFC Leopards.

Was the KCB defeat on Thursday their first signs of cracking? Are they serious contenders for the title?

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Those questions were fullly answered at the end of a lengthy duel in the capital, as Ambani's side left to stone unturned in registering yet another heavy win that staggered many who watched the same outfit struggle to swing open KCB's doors days prior.

Maybe it was the changes, as the former Leopard altered four of his men from the 1-0 defeat, bringing on James Kinyanjui, Victor Omune, Randi Bakari and a surprise name in James Ssetuba under the sticks.

Shabana, who had been in town for a while, threatened early through Assis Batshi in the second minute, but Ssetuba was well in the game to push his strike away.

That attempt was as close as Shabana got in the first half, as AFC Leopards took control, and were rewarded after 17 minutes when Tyson and Kinyanjui exchanged passes from a free-kick outside the box to send in an unmarked Semo through on goal for the opener.

Skipper Omune could well have doubled the lead for Ingwe six minutes later, but lifted a scooped ball from Tyson over the bar.

Shabana were at the half-hour mark forced to make a change after Papa Diallo pulled a muscle, with Ezekiah Omuri coming in his place.

Kinyanjui then had a chance to put daylight between both sides in the 37th minute, but flashed his shot wide after being fed down the right by the indefatigable Kelly Madada.

The famed youngster would minutes later curl wide after skipping past a couple red shirts, with Kayci on the other end fortunate that a lapse in concentration was not punished by the blunt Assis.

Leopards benefitted from that almost immediately as a long ball left Ronald Sichenje isolated on the left, before laying a pass for Tyson to stick home with ease.

Shabana, in a bid to lift themselves off the canvas, came out of the blocks quickly in the second half, but were left with a bitter taste in their mouths when a goal from Brian Michira was chalked off for offside, despite TV replays showing that he was onside.

Leopards, sensing a need to up the ante, had two chances to add a third, but for Omune and Kinyanjui to squander two opportunities in quick succession, the second being in a 2 v 1 situation.

The visitors made sure to punish those misses when substitute Bronson Nsubuga, with arguably his first touch of the game, lifted a corner for Omondi to head home.

Ambani, sensing danger, went all out attack by bringing on Ssenyonjo and Hassan Beja, and his decision was instantly rewarded when the former took advantage of an unbelievably stray pass from Shabana keeper Stephen Ochieng to slot his team's third.

That goal, celebrated wildly on the sidelines, was the cue to some unfortunate scenes on the stands, as both fanbases clashed.

Mozzart Sport captured a few injured bodies on the ground, as fans took cover from teargas that was deployed at the scene.

Play was as a result, momentarily halted for 10 minutes, a time in which Leopards chairman Ambani, FKF VP Mariga and Shabana SG Kerama successfully pleaded for calm.

When play resumed, Leopards were still on top of things, and Kayci was the next man to find the net in the 87th minute, lashing a strike into the roof of the net from a simple corner routine.

Sseyonjo, having been thrown to the bench for this game, gave Ambani a reason to bank on him going forward, as he scored his brace on the break, following a fine layoff from Sichenje.

A "blue letter day"? Definitely.