KPL: AFC Leopards host Thika United at City Stadium

A leopard never changes its spots so the saying goes and perhaps it explains why AFC Leopards attempts at moving up the league standings have been futile. They have been flirting with positions in the lower half of the league table for a larger part of the season and however divorced from their status their performance this season has shown, they seem to have lived up to that old adage - their spots on the league table have been largely unchanged.

Despite that a leopard is famed for its climbing prowess and and perhaps it is that ability to displace itself to an elevated height that Ingwe will be banking on today as they welcome Thika United in Round 27 Kenyan Premier League match at the Nyayo National Stadium. Unbeaten in 9 of their last 11 matches, Thika United have never been a headache for the 12-time league champions until their first leg encounter this season. The match was abandoned in the 85th minute with Thika United leading 1-0 and weeks later they were awarded a 2-0 victory which meant it was the first time in three years that they were getting the better of AFC Leopards.

However AFC Leopards will go into this evening's match with their focus also on Monday's GOTv Shield semi-final match against Sofapaka who beat Ushuru FC 3-2 yesterday. Thika United will look to take advantage of Ingwe's divided attention going in to the fixture and complete a double over AFC Leopards. It would not be out of place to say that today's encounter was never on AFC Leopards' mind if what their chairman Allan Kasavuli said earlier this week. In an interview with radiojambo.co.ke after Monday's press conference over the rescheduled Sony Sugar-AFC Leopards match at a Nairobi Hotel, Kasavuli urged fans to turn out in large numbers for Monday's match and it seems that winning the GOTv for a second year in a row is the club's top priority at the moment.

All the same today's match is expected to be a very close encounter if the teams' form going into this match is anything to go by. Both have won twice in their last league 6 matches with both victories coming against teams ranked lower than them in the league table. In the remaining four matches AFC Leopards drew three and lost one whereas their visitors lost twice and drew twice. The stakes are much higher for AFC Leopards who would rise from 12th to 7th if they get a win while a draw will push them to joint 8th with Sony Sugar. Thika United on the hand would remain at 6th place whether they win, draw or lose but even then the Milkmen would give the match their all so as to cement their position in the top half of the table.