Broke AFC Leopards live late to hold City Stars
Just a day after receiving a fresh two-window transfer ban, AFC Leopards took on Nairobi City Stars in a rescheduled FKF Premier League match played at the Thika sub county stadium.
With only three players on the bench and a coach away on vacation, the 13 times Kenyan champions had to come from behind to hold City Stars who had just suffered a devastating 3-2 home loss to Gor Mahia a week before.
Former Posta Rangers winger Jackson Lopaga earning a rare start for the Leopards equalized in the 74th minute of the game to ensure that stand-in coach Tom Juma maintained Ingwe’s fair run in the lead.
Timothy Ouma had given the visitors the lead in the 40th minute of the game after a good sweeping move.
For Ingwe it was all about the reaction and after a hard tussle, they finally got their reward.
It has been reported that the AFC Leopards players haven’t received a cent and senior players in the team led by goalkeeper Levis Opiyo, Tediun Esilaba, John Makwata, Victor Omune, Cliff Nyakeya, Washington Munene and Ojo Olaniyi boycotted the match forcing Juma to make a ring of changes to the team.
Last month, AFC Leopards who last won the league in 1998, were given Ksh 12 million by President Uhuru Kenyatta to help settle salary arrears in the Den but that has not been the case. On June 1, Ingwe lost 5-4 in post match penalties to Gor Mahia during the Madaraka Day Cup and were rewarded with Ksh 500,000; players and the entire technical bench say that they have not received anything to date.
Leopards play their last match of the troubled 2021-22 season against Nzoia Sugar while City Stars take on FC Talanta who on Sunday boycotted their league fixture against title chasing Kakamega Homeboyz.
