Ambani hails Beja’s impact for AFC Leopards’ win over Tusker
By Luke Oluoch, March 23, 2026AFC Leopards head coach Fred Ambani has opened up about his match-winning tactical shift after another inspired substitution guided Ingwe to a late 1-0 victory over Tusker FC.
The two giants clashed in a Football Kenya Federation Premier League (FKF-PL) tie on Sunday, March 22, 2026.
Ambani’s tactical prowess once again came to the fore as Hassan Beja rose from the bench to inspire Ingwe to a famous win.
Speaking after the clash, the gaffer noted that he made the change after noticing signs of lethargy in his side, deploying Beja with explicit instructions to exploit the opposition.
Tactical change
“In the first half, I noticed that Ronald Sichenje looked a bit tired and wasn’t perfectly executing the instructions I had given him, so we decided to bring on Beja,” Ambani stated.
“The instruction was for him to exploit the gaps in those spaces and take on the defenders. He did it well, and we got things right.”
This match marked yet another occasion where Ambani’s substitutions have altered the course of a game. Notably, the club’s top scorer, Ugandan international Samuel Ssenyonjo, also came off the bench to bag a brace in a dominant 4-1 victory over Shabana on March 1, 2026.
Despite the recent run of form, Ambani remained guarded regarding the title race. He asserted that his primary focus remains on delivering results—a sentiment shared just days after facing intense scrutiny following a crushing 4-1 loss to Mathare United.
“Our job is not to talk but to deliver results. Sometimes they don’t come, and sometimes they go your way; that’s football. I will simply say my players did a wonderful job today to secure the win,” he concluded.
Title favourites
With the victory, Leopards cut the gap between them and log leaders Gor Mahia to seven points. Though the latter remains with a realistic chance of clinching the season honours.
Gor Mahia favourites
With less than ten games to play, K’Ogalo are now favourites for the title, with their Saturday’s 2-1 win over Shabana extending their fine run of form to 15 games without a defeat.