Starving Leopards pray for Gor slip-up as hunt for Premier League title intensifies

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 13, 2026 – Watch out Gor Mahia! AFC Leopards are on the prowl and are taking nothing less than the FKF Premier League title.

This was the underlying message from midfielder Victor Omune after the felines narrowed the gap at the top to four points — with four matches to end of the 2025/26 season.

It was another day that Ingwe faithful went home full of songs and joy, dancing the evening away as each one of them headed to their humble abodes.

Even the heavens opening up and pounding the city was not enough to dampen the excitement courtesy of Kelly Madada and Emmanuel Lwangu’s goals in the 2-0 win over relegation-threatened Ulinzi Stars.

Speaking after the match, the Leopards skipper said the players are not ready to throw in the towel just yet.

“It’s just the belief, the belief that we still have a chance to win the title and that is what is pushing us to the end of the season. We still believe we have a chance, we still believe we can fight to the end and that’s what everybody wants at the end of the season to get the title,” the one-time Harambee Stars player said.

Leopards have run into headwinds in the course of chasing their first league title since 1998, offering their more accomplished arch-rivals the opportunity to widen the gap and draw closer to their 22nd crown.

However, Fred Ambani’s charges have exhibited a never-say-die attitude, rising up from embarrassing defeats to swat aside opponents in their subsequent ties — much like a wounded predator.

Ambani, who was part of the 1998 title-winning side, has steadily but stealthily forged a unit of players who move together like aircraft in formation and are able to pull themselves together after a setback.

A humiliating 3-0 loss to defending champions Kenya Police on April 18, followed by a 1-0 defeat by K’Ogalo — a week later — seemed to have been the proverbial kiss of death to their title ambitions.

However, a 2-1 win over Mara Sugar and Wednesday’s win over Ulinzi Stars — coupled with Gor’s barren draw against Kenya Police on Sunday — has resurrected Leopards hopes that they could still be hoisting the trophy aloft come May 31.

It is not a far-fetched hope or a case of building castles in the air considering Gor’s remaining matches against Murang’a Seal, Mara Sugar and Nairobi United could prove a banana skin for them.

Should they drop points in any of the ties, then Leopards will be waiting to pounce on the opportunity to further narrow the deficit between them.

It would represent another episode in what has been one of the most nervy but exciting title battles in recent history — much less between Kenya’s two biggest football clubs.

Omune credited Ambani for encouraging them to keep going even when it seemed a forgone conclusion.

“He hasn’t given up, he’s been pushing us every day from the training session, every day he’s been pushing us,” he said.

Next up is a trip to Kakamega to face Kakamega Homeboyz at the Bukhungu Stadium on Saturday.

Patrick ‘Luwowo’ Odhiambo’s charges are no slouches to be sniffed at, considering they were also in the title race at the infancy stage of the current season.

Omune and Co will certainly not be handling their opponent’s with kid gloves as their hosts have proven a tough nut to crack at their homeground.

Add to the bragging rights associated with the Ingo Derby and this tie has all the makings of a title-decider that could either take Ingwe closer to the promised land or leave them licking their wounds in despair.

Having made a meal of the soldiers at Nyayo Stadium, Omune is wary of wallowing in their win for so long, with Abana Ba Ingo in the horizon.

“We are happy and it’s time to celebrate this win but then again we celebrate today but we still have to fight for other three points over the weekend. It’s just for today, tomorrow we prepare again to face homeboys over the weekend,” he said.

The last fixture between the two sides on January 4 ended 1-0 in favour of Homeboyz.

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