Six lessons learned from the 98th Mashemeji Derby
.jpg)
Reading Time: 5min | Mon. 08.12.25. | 21:07
While there were plenty of lessons to be drawn from the match, Mozzart Sport chose to highlight six in this article
The 98th Mashemeji Derby, pitting sworn enemies Gor Mahia against AFC Leopards, lived up to its billing as it possessed all the ingredients expected of a fierce rivalry, leaving stakeholders with several talking points after the final whistle.
Follow our WhatsApp channel for more news
There is a reason why the Mashemeji Derby is the biggest and most anticipated club fixture in the Kenyan football calendar and is often talked about weeks, if not months, before it takes place.
For the 98th edition, AFC Leopards walked home with all the bragging rights courtesy of a 1-0 victory, delivered by a 26th-minute strike by Julius Masaba in an FKF Premier League match held on Sunday, 7 December at the Nyayo Stadium.
The win extended the Leopards' unbeaten run in the derby to three but was only their second win in 20 attempts in this fixture.
While there were plenty of lessons to be drawn from the match, Mozzart Sport chose to highlight six in this article.
Black Magic beliefs
While times have evolved with a more modern era and generation coming into the picture, the place for black magic in this fixture is still alive.
In the Sunday afternoon clash, Gor Mahia players warmed up with two specific balls at halftime, something that raised the eyebrows of their Leopards counterparts.
For Ingwe, they suspected their opponents had performed black magic on the balls and allegedly confiscated them next to the ambulance for the rest of the match.
From time immemorial, both teams have always believed in certain rituals, before, during and after the match, including contending on where their players would pass and forbidding either side from crossing over their half, a task well undertaken by their stewards.
Ambani’s tactical masterclass
The AFC Leopards' head coach had not lost a derby, either as a player or as a coach and was not ready to taste defeat in the 98th edition of the derby.
To achieve that, he had to get his tactics right to stop a rampant K’Ogalo, and he did so with surgical precision.
According to his post-match press conference, the job needed experienced players whom he named in his starting 11, and they delivered.
On the pitch, Ingwe beat the K’Ogalo press with ease by having their wingers inverting, to draw K’Ogalo players and leaving their full-backs free to receive the ball.
In attack, they created overloads on the wings, leaving Gor Mahia in sixes and sevens.
Ingwe fans pushed Leopards to victory
While AFC Leopards' head coach Fred Ambani got his team set up and tactics right on the day, he also had the fans to thank for the victory.
Leopards fans turned out in droves as requested by the club and cheered almost every pass that the team made. Their job was made easier by the fact that Ingwe played with flair as Tyson Otieno, James Kinyanjui and Julius Masaba toyed with Gor players.
When the team seemed to fizzle out, the Blue Army upped their vociferous support and lifted the team up until victory was secured.
Together with Gor Mahia fans who equally came in their numbers, K’Ogalo, who were the home team, soothed their agony by collecting Ksh7,011,500 - the highest amount they have collected in recent years.
Form goes out of the window in derbies
The age-old adage that the Mashemeji Derby is not won based on form could not be demonstrated better than how the 98th edition played out.
Heading into the match, Gor Mahia possessed better form than Leopards. K’Ogalo had lost only two of their nine opening matches, with pundits attributing the 4-1 loss to APS Bomet in their previous match to the heavy squad rotation by head coach Charles Akonnor.
However, Leopards, who were on a three-match winless streak, were the brighter of the two sides, controlling the game from the first to the last minute.
As former AFC Leopards and Gor Mahia goalkeeper Wycliffe Kasaya told Mozzart Sport prior to the match, the derby was won by the team that showed up for the match by going hard into duels, challenging for the ball and possessing an insatiable hunger to win.
Shaky K’Ogalo defense
One of the main features for Gor Mahia this season has been their water-tight defense. In fact, the team had conceded only two goals in eight league matches before they were humiliated by APS Bomet.
However, unlike their usual self, the team struggled to cope with the Leopards’ attack, which ironically has been accused of being blunt this season.
Powered by Tyson Otieno, Ingwe created numerous chances that, were it not for their inadequacy in front of goal, the win could have been by a bigger margin.
Leopards' mighty defense
During the Sunday afternoon clash, Leopards not only set up in a solid defensive unit but also defended with zeal and discipline, leaving K’Ogalo with limited space to penetrate.
Make no mistake, Gor have had one of the most potent forward lines in the league this season and had only failed to find the back of the net once - their season opener against Bidco United.
.jpg)
However, all that did not count as the Kayci Odhiambo-marshalled defense allowed them only one shot on target throughout the match.
Most importantly, though, the derby was peaceful before, during and after the match, an aspect both sets of fans have worked hard to keep and endeavour to maintain in order to attract new fans and partners to the game.
.jpg)
