- Coach Fred Ambani reveals key weakness AFC Leopards must address after SportPesa League title heartbreak.
- The tactician says sharpening the attacking department will be a key focus during the preseason ahead of the new campaign.
- Ingwe finished second with 64 points, scoring 44 goals – six fewer than champions Gor Mahia.
AFC Leopards head coach Fred Ambani has revealed that finishing has been the major headache in the just concluded SportPesa League 2025/26, stating they will be laser-focused to bolster that department before the new campaign.
Ingwe wrapped up the season as runners-up after mounting a strong title challenge and remaining in contention for much of the campaign.
They had hoped to end their long wait for the league crown, only for it to slip away late in the season to arch-rivals Gor Mahia, who secured a record-extending 22nd league title.
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Key weakness AFC Leopards must address after title heartbreak
The 12-time top-flight champions, under the guidance of Ambani, finished the season with one of their most impressive hauls, managing to hit the 60-point mark and wrapping up with 64 points to their name.
Although they failed to end their 27-year wait for silverware, Ambani, who was part of the last AFC Leopards squad to win the title, admitted that inefficiency in the final third ultimately cost them.
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Despite creating numerous opportunities, the team struggled to convert chances into goals.
“I have learned a few things this season, and these are things I will go back and review to see how we can improve,” Ambani said on Sunday after their 2-1 defeat to Bidco United.
“Most importantly, we are going to look at how we can strengthen our striking department. We have been blunt in that area, so that is the zone we will make sure we do something about. Because the all-round team this season has been good, but our scoring has been letting us down.”
Ingwe concluded the season with 44 goals, six fewer than champions Gor Mahia, while conceding 28. Their leading scorer was Ugandan international Samuel Ssenyonjo, who topped the club’s scoring charts with seven goals before suffering an injury.
Kelly Madada and Victor Omune were the next highest scorers, each finding the back of the net four times.
This was despite the team boasting some of the league’s most exciting attacking talents, including pacey winger James Kinyanjui, while creative midfielder Tyson Otieno also played a key role in crafting chances throughout the season.
During Sunday’s final match of the campaign, Ambani handed debuts to several young players as he assessed the squad ahead of next season.
Dennis Kikwae came on in the first half to replace Ronald Sichenje, who registered an assist for Victor Otieno’s goal, while Jamal Obeid also made his first appearance for the club.
Ambani explained that the move was aimed at evaluating the squad and identifying areas where the team can improve ahead of the new season.
“We gave young players an opportunity in this final match to assess the kind of squad we want next season. It was important to see whether they can fit into our plans. We wanted to understand what kind of team we will be starting with next season, and their performances today have given us a clearer picture of the direction we need to take,” he added.
With striking now emerging as the main area of concern, Ingwe are expected to bolster their attacking options as they seek to mount another serious title challenge next season after narrowly missing out to Gor Mahia this year.