Ambani reveals how AFC Leopards overcame Mathare Utd setback to defeat Nairobi United
AFC Leopards head coach Fred Ambani has revealed the trick Ingwe applied to rise above the 4-1 trashing at the hands of Mathare United in their previous league encounter to edge Nairobi United 1-0 on Wednesday, March 18, 2026.
Samuel Ssenyonjo scored the only goal as Leopards got back to their winning ways, reviving their 2025/26 Football Kenya Federation Premier League title ambitions after the previous setback against the Slumboys.
Ambani speaks
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In his post-match remarks on Wednesday, Ambani noted that he told his players to forget the Mathare United humiliation and focus on the Naibois assignments. He also highlighted the important role played by the club’s National Executive Committee in instilling morale into the players and restoring their confidence after the particular defeat.
”The only thing I told my players is that results come in the form of a win, a draw and a defeat. The moment you lose, you focus on the next one; you cannot stay down. We forgot what happened previously and started working on the present. I thank the players, management and the technical bench for the good outcome. I thank NEC members for what they did for the players; it was encouraging, and they should carry on,” Ambani said.
Tyson Otieno shines
Meanwhile, red-hot midfielder Tyson Otieno emerged as the standout performer of the match, earning the Man of the Match award for his influential display that saw AFC Leopards beat Nairobi United 1-0 on Wednesday at Nyayo Stadium.
Based on match statistics, the creative midfielder registered one assist, created five chances, and had three shot attempts. His attacking presence was further highlighted by four touches in the opponent’s box and winning two second balls, as Ingwe returned to winning ways.
Otieno’s brilliance follows former Harambee Stars legendary goalkeeper Matthews Ottamax questioning why he was snubbed for Harambee Stars duties ahead of the scheduled FIFA Series in Rwanda later in March 2026.
The decisive moment came early in the match when Tyson Otieno set Samuel Ssenyenjo, who found the back of the net in the 13th minute, giving AFC Leopards a lead they would hold onto for the remainder of the game.
