Kayci urges focus as AFC Leopards chase first trophy in 28 years

AFC Leopards' defender Kayci Odhiambo during training/AFC LEOPARDS 

AFC Leopards centre-back Kayci Odhiambo says the club has the belief and momentum needed to end a 28-year wait for silverware.

Odhiambo, who has been one of Leopards’ standout performers in recent weeks, believes a renewed sense of unity and purpose within the squad could finally deliver trophies to the club’s long-suffering supporters.

“I genuinely believe this team has the mojo to end the long wait,” he said. “You can feel it in training, in the dressing room, and in the way we fight for each other on the pitch.”

The centre-back underlined his influence on January 25 when he scored the winning goal in a 1–0 victory over Sofapaka, ending Leopards’ six-year winless run against Batoto ba Mungu.

“That goal meant everything to us,” Odhiambo said. “People talked about the six years, but for us, it was about belief. Once the ball hit the net, I knew something had shifted.”

His display earned him Man of the Match honours and a place in the SportPesa Premier League Team of the Week, recognition he downplayed in favour of collective success.

“Individual awards are nice, but they only matter if the team is winning,” he said. “I would trade every award for a trophy at the end of the season.”

Odhiambo has been vocal about Leopards’ ambitions in the title race. “We are in the title race — no doubt about that,” he said.

“For us, every match is a final. There is no room for complacency if you want to be champions.”

Although naturally a creative midfielder, Odhiambo has recently been deployed in defence, a tactical decision that has sparked debate among fans and analysts. He insists the adjustment has strengthened his overall game.

“I am a midfielder by nature, but football is about sacrifice,” he said. “If the coach needs me at centre-back, I give everything there," he said. “Playing in defence has improved my reading of the game. It has made me calmer, more responsible, and more complete as a player.”

Odhiambo’s rise has been shaped by resilience. Born in Pumwani, Nairobi, he began his football journey at Jericho All Stars before moving to Hakati Sportiff and later Mount Kenya United in the National Super League, where difficult conditions nearly forced him to quit the game.

“There were days I thought of quitting,” he said. “The conditions were tough, but something inside me refused to give up.”

He joined AFC Leopards in September 2021 and has since grown into a key figure, earning national team call-ups with Harambee Stars.

“Representing Kenya is a dream I never take lightly,” Odhiambo said. “It reminds me how far I have come from Pumwani.”

Off the pitch, Odhiambo has remained committed to giving back to the community. Recently, he donated kits, balls and boots to his former youth side, Hakati Sportiff, using funds from his Mozzart Bet Cup Humanitarian Award.

“Football gave me a way out,” he said. “If I can help even one young player believe in themselves, then I am doing something right.”

As AFC Leopards continue their title push, Odhiambo says the responsibility to deliver success is clear.

“We owe it to the fans, to the badge, and to ourselves,” he said. “This season, we want to make history.”