AFC Leopards coach Ambani discusses Gor Mahia Mashemeji derby

Kenyan Premier League outfit AFC Leopards have discussed their plans to stop rivals Gor Mahia when they face off in the FKF Premier League derby at Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday.

The two Kenyan giants will meet for the first time this season, with Gor Mahia already four points clear ahead of the AFC Leopards at the top of the 18-team Premier League table. With AFC Leopards already searching for the elusive title, they will need to beat Gor Mahia to keep their hopes alive.

While their rivals Gor Mahia having won 21 record Kenyan league titles, AFC Leopards have only 12 to show off for. Leopards’ last success came 29 years ago, a trend the club wants to change. They have also not enjoyed a good run of results against their rivals in recent year, with Gor Mahia being dominant.

Ahead of the derby, Ambani is optimistic his players will produce one of the best games of the season to beat Gor Mahia to maximum points.

AFC Leopards will not be under any pressure

“I have never had pressure heading into the derby, I don’t want to lie, the moment you don’t take the derby like any other game without any pressure behind it, and then you will have done yourself bad, and spoilt your game plan going into it,” said Ambani as quoted by Flashscore.

“If as coach I go into the derby with pressure, what happens to my players? It means they will have lost the game even before they play it. Show the players there is no pressure heading into the derby, and ask them to relax, but they should know the only pressure they have is to give fans a win.”

Ambani added: “If the players come wanting to prove something to the fans, then definitely they will get it wrong, but the moment the player comes into the field wanting to play to his best, that is the most important thing, giving all the best you have and the rest of the things will follow.”

He concluded: “We have given players enough of self-motivation, it is all about the players, even if you motivate them and they are not ready then it will be a waste of time, mostly people say motivation is all about incentives, but we have a lot to motivate our players from this game.

“This is a big game, and they (players) can gain a lot from it, in big games we have people coming to watch, we have scouts, and that is the time to sell yourself out there to the world, and if you can’t be motivated enough because of such things then you are in a wrong business.”

The fixture will be the 98th derby in the history of the Kenyan league, and last season it never produced a winner with both matches ending in draws.