Leopards out to end Gor’s derby dominance in Sunday clash

AFC Leopards head coach Antony ‘Modo’ Kimani is confident that his charges will bring to an end the pain they have suffered in the hands of arch-rivals Gor Mahia in the last four years when they renew rivalry in Sunday’s Mashemeji derby primed for the MISC Kasarani.

Leopards have not won against K’Ogalo in the last four seasons, the recent meetings ending 3-1 and 4-1 in the first and second leg respectively, last season.

However, the eloquent and youthful Kimani hopes his fighting charges s can rise to the occasion on Sunday and halt the dominance of K’Ogalo.

As a measure and plan for the weekend game, Kimani elected not to field his captain Robinson Kamura who is on four yellow cards in the 1-0 win over Chemelil last weekend.

“We know we have a tricky match ahead at the weekend and so we are quickly going to our training camp to fine tune one or two before we meet them,” said Kimani.

Kamura has a lot of yellow cards and so we saw it prudent to avoid another one which could have been an automatic suspension yet we have a bigger tie which requires one to have all his best tools,” he said.

The Saturday’s derby will be Kimani’s first as Leopards head coach.

K’Ogalo and Leopards will be meeting without a number of their then dependable players who featured in the November derby at the same venue.

Go have since lost their lethal Ghanaian striker Francis Afriyie who signed for Botswana champions Township Rollers in January after terminating his six months contract citing lack of pay.

Afriyie was the catalyst to Leopards defeat back then thanks to his brace while Ivorian Gislein Yikpe has also left the K’Ogalo ship to join Tanzania champions Yanga SC.

On-form Leopards have since lost head coach Casa Mbungo, red-hot goal poacher John-Mark Makwata, captain Soter Kayumba, and utility midfielder Burundian Tresor Ndikumana who scored their consolation goal.

Leopards who narrowly beat Chemelil Sugar 1-0 at the weekend thanks to Elvis Rupia sit sixth on the 17-team standings with 40 points with Gor Mahia at the top on 51, four ahead of Kakamega Homeboyz.

The two giants have met on 88 occasions; Ingwe winning 26 times, three times more than Gor while 39 encounters ending in draws.