FKF PL: Leopards, Talanta to face off at Nyayo as Shabana, Murang'a make bow in Homabay

12-time league champions AFC Leopards will take to the Nyayo National Stadium pitch on Sunday afternoon for their first 2023–24 FKF Premier League match against FC Talanta.

This will also be Tom Juma's first ever match as Ingwe's head coach, and he will certainly be keen on starting on a high. The Leopards legend replaced Patrick Aussems as head coach when the Belgian opted out; he had served as his assistant for two years.

The club has also been the second busiest after Nzoia Sugar FC during the off-season transfer window, recruiting a total of 20 players to beef up their ranks after the lifting of the transfer ban that had been enforced by FIFA after the club breached the contract of their former coach, Aussems.

Fresh from being slapped with a 3000 USD fine by FKF's First Instance Body (FIB) for not having a women's side, Talanta have gone about their business quietly, making a few additions to the squad. Fortunately for them, the financial challenges that they faced at the start of last season are now a thing of the past.

Coach Ken Kenyatta will be hoping to avoid last season’s first-leg drubbing by the Leopards. With the team struggling financially, Ingwe put six past them, with Victor Omune scoring four of the goals; however, they managed to get a hard-fought draw in the return leg.

Ahead of the game, Juma has outlined the importance of his side ending the 25-year wait for a league title. Ingwe last won the title when Juma was a Leopards player.

"I do not think much has changed (his elevation to the role of head coach) because I have been part of this technical bench for a while now, and so it is just continuing with the work that we have been doing for all these years. The Leopards ambition every season is to win titles, and that is what we will try to do in the coming season. A season that ends without a title is regarded as a failure.".

At the Raila Odinga Stadium in Homabay, Shabana FC will host Murang'a Seal FC in what will be the first top-tier game for Murang'a in their history and the first for Shabana in 17 years. Both were promoted to the top tier at the end of last season.

The two teams haven't been too busy in the transfer market either. They have brought in a few faces, opting to stick with the core of the team that earned them promotion to the top tier at the end of last season.

Other matches

Posta Rangers vs. Bidco United FC, Kasarani Stadium, 3 PM

Nairobi City Stars vs. Muhoroni Youth FC-Kasarani Annex, 3 PM

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