AFC Leopards coach Fred Ambani has urged his revamped squad to look beyond pre-season results and concentrate on building the tactical understanding and consistency required for a serious title challenge in the 2026/27 SportPesa League.
After finishing runners-up last season, Leopards have reinforced their squad with several new arrivals, as Ambani looks to ensure the new-look outfit develops a clear identity before the competitive campaign begins.
Ambani, however, believes the immediate priority is developing a team capable of executing its ideas under pressure.
“We want to see our structure, our reaction when we lose the ball, and how quickly we can create opportunities,” Ambani said, explaining why results in friendly matches are not his primary concern.
The coach has used the pre-season programme to assess how quickly the new-look squad can understand his tactical demands, particularly in the moments when possession changes hands. The emphasis has been on team shape, counter-pressing, transitions and the ability to create chances from organised movements rather than individual brilliance.
Leopards demonstrated some of that progress on Sunday when they defeated Nairobi United 3-1 in a friendly at Police Sacco Stadium, with Musa Ceesay and Tyson Otieno among the scorers, while an own goal completed the victory.
“We are trying to build a team that understands what we want to do,” Ambani said, stressing that the matches are providing the technical bench with an opportunity to identify combinations and correct weaknesses before the competitive season begins.
The result followed a busy recruitment campaign that has brought several new faces to the club, including Uganda Cranes midfielder Taddeo Lwanga, Gambian midfielder Adama Kanteh, striker Ceesay, central defender Robinson Musungu, winger Erick Balecho and Ugandan goalkeeper Tom Ikara.
With such competition for places, Ambani has made it clear that reputation will not determine his starting line-up. The coach wants every player, regardless of background or previous achievements, to prove his value during training and matches. “Nobody should feel that his place is guaranteed because everybody has to earn the shirt,” he said.
The message is particularly relevant as Leopards attempt to integrate their recruits into a squad expected to challenge defending champions Gor Mahia and other ambitious rivals for the championship.
Ambani believes the club’s title ambitions must be matched by a willingness to start the campaign afresh, despite last season’s strong finish. Leopards will open their league campaign at home against Bandari between August 29 and 30 before travelling to face Kenya Police in the second round.
“We are going for the title,” Ambani said, making clear that the club’s objective is not simply to improve on last season’s position.
The coach, however, is conscious that the pressure surrounding a title challenge can become counterproductive if players become preoccupied with expectations rather than performances. He wants the squad to approach each match as part of a longer process of establishing consistency. “We have started from zero because every season brings new challenges,” he said.
The international friendly against Ugandan giants KCCA FC on Saturday at Ulinzi Sports Complex will provide another opportunity for Ambani to test his combinations before the league begins. The match kicks off at 4 pm, with tickets priced at Sh200 for terraces and Sh500 for VIP. “We need to use these games to understand the players and the solutions they can give us,” Ambani said, underlining the importance of the remaining pre-season fixtures.
The KCCA encounter will also offer the coach a final chance to assess his squad against international opposition before the pressure of league football takes over.
“Our focus is to be ready when the league starts, because that is where the points will matter,” Ambani said.
With Leopards having invested heavily in both personnel and ambition, the coming weeks will determine whether their promising pre-season structure can develop into the consistency required to sustain a genuine title challenge.
