Ambani blames wasteful finishing as Leopards plot title comeback

AFC Leopards head coach Fred Ambani/HANDOUT

AFC Leopards head coach Fred Ambani has admitted that poor finishing ultimately denied Ingwe a realistic shot at the SportPesa League title, as the club begins a decisive rebuild aimed at correcting attacking weaknesses ahead of next season.

Leopards finished second in the 2025/26 campaign with 64 points, falling short of champions Gor Mahia by six points in a tightly contested title race. Despite scoring 44 goals, their inconsistency in front of goal proved costly in key moments that defined the season. "I think when we reflect on the season, the biggest gap between us and the champions was our inability to finish chances,” Ambani said.

“There were games where we did everything right except putting the ball in the net,” Ambani added.

“Honestly, that is where we lost valuable points across the campaign,” he continued.

The former Leopards striker, who was part of the last squad to lift the league title, believes the team’s overall structure is strong but lacks a clinical edge in decisive moments. “The foundation of the team is solid, but we were not sharp enough in the final third,” Ambani observed.

He stressed that improving attacking output will be the club’s main priority in the upcoming transfer window. “That attacking department must be upgraded if we are serious about winning titles,” Ambani stated.

Leopards’ top scorer, Samuel Ssenyonjo, managed seven league goals before an injury disrupted his momentum, while Kelly Madada and Victor Omune contributed four goals each, underlining the team’s overreliance on a few attacking outlets. “We cannot continue depending on isolated contributions from a few players,” Ambani noted.

The coach also revealed that the club is already undergoing structural changes as part of a broader squad rebuild following a technical review of the season. “We have already started reshaping the squad because we need a different level of competitiveness,” Ambani explained.

Several senior players have been released as part of a planned “mini-surgery” aimed at refreshing the squad and creating space for new signings ahead of the 2026/27 campaign. “We had to make tough calls, but they are necessary if we want progress,” Ambani remarked.

Leopards spent long spells of the season in the title conversation but dropped crucial points against lower-ranked opponents, a pattern that ultimately separated them from Gor Mahia in the final standings. “In many matches, we controlled games but failed to convert dominance into wins,” Ambani said.

Despite the disappointment, Ambani remains optimistic that the gap can be closed with targeted improvements. “We are not far from competing at the highest level; what remains is finishing efficiency,” Ambani noted.

“We believe small adjustments can turn draws into wins and losses into draws,” he added. The club is now expected to recruit at least a handful of attacking reinforcements as they aim to complement their defensive stability and midfield creativity.

“We are actively looking to strengthen the squad in key areas, especially upfront,” Ambani confirmed. Young players were handed opportunities in the final match of the season, a move Ambani says was part of long-term squad assessment and planning.

“It was important to test young players and see who is ready for the demands of top-level football,” Ambani explained. “We want a team that combines experience with hunger and energy,” he added. As the rebuilding process gathers pace, Ingwe’s focus shifts to converting potential into results, with Ambani insisting that the difference between contenders and champions lies in precision inside the box. “If we improve our finishing, we change the entire story of our season,” Ambani concluded.