Ambani reveals tactical approach that sank Gor Mahia in Mashemeji Derby
By Joel Masibo, December 8, 2025AFC Leopards head coach Fred Ambani has shared the secret behind the famous 1-0 win against perennial rivals Gor Mahia in the 98th Mashemeji Derby edition staged on Sunday, December 7, 2025, at the Nyayo National Stadium.
Amani, who has never lost K’Ogalo both as a player and coach, maintained his record courtesy of Julius Masaba’s 23rd-minute opener after a defensive lapse by Gor Mahia, an early goal that handed Ingwe the bragging rights in front of a fully packed Nyayo Stadium.
However, behind the victory, Ambani had wanted to keep his good record against K’Ogalo, hence tweaked his squad a little bit, blending it with experience and fresh blood, a tactical masterpiece that bore fruit for the 1998 Kenyan Premier League champions.
Tactical masterplan
Ambani started with the likes of James Kinyanjui, Victor Omune and Julius Masaba upfront, with Mousa Oundo, Tyson Otieno, and Bonface Munyendo and Kayci Odhiambo all earning the starting berth.
”I looked at the current state of the team, and the derby needed experience, which is why I started with Masaba and Kinyanjui. Because I have never lost to Gor Mahia, I had to look for players who would help me keep the record. I knew the opponent would attack, so we had to be good at defence,” Ambani said.
The wn saw AFC Leopards climb to sixth on the Football Kenya Federation Premier League log with 17 points, just three points behind leaders and defending champions Kenya Police FC. Fred Ambani also said the win has revived the title ambitions for Ingwe, who are seeking to win their first league title in 27 years.
Title hopes
”We are going for the title, and to win the title, we have to beat those that are above us, so this is the beginning,” he added. The derby victory came as a sigh of relief for Ambani and his charges after starting the campaign on a shaky note; it also came after Leopards were held to a frustrating 1-1 by Kariobangi Sharks in their previous outing.
Meanwhile, the 98th edition of the Mashemeji Derby was attended by 18,000 fans as a way of controlling the crowds for security concerns. Normally, the historic fixture pulls crowds as the two sides command the largest fanbase in the country’s football ecosystem.