Shabana FC coach Ahmed Fathi is banking on discipline, tactical precision and a committed squad to frustrate AFC Leopards when the two sides clash in a SportPesa League encounter at Nyayo National Stadium on Sunday.
The Egyptian tactician faces a stern examination against an Ingwe side riding high after their dramatic 2-1 comeback victory over Kenya Police FC, but he insists his players are ready for the challenge.
“We are concentrating on our plan and how we want to approach this match,” Fathi said, emphasising the importance of executing their strategy against a Leopards side with considerable attacking threat.
Shabana have made an encouraging start to the campaign, collecting four points from their opening two matches after beating Posta Rangers 1-0 away before drawing 0-0 with Nairobi United. Fathi wants his charges to carry that defensive solidity into Sunday's contest while taking their chances when they arise.
The coach, the first Egyptian to manage a team in Kenya's top flight, has also made commitment and discipline central to his selection policy as he seeks to build a squad capable of challenging for major honours.
“I trust the players who have shown commitment and discipline in training. We are preparing to compete and fight for the victory,” he said.
Leopards coach Fred Ambani, meanwhile, wants his team to be more ruthless in front of goal after identifying shortcomings in their previous performances. Despite their late triumph over Police, he believes there is considerable room for improvement as Ingwe pursue a strong start to the season.
“We were only about 30 per cent efficient in our previous performance,” Ambani said, underlining the need for his forwards to make better use of scoring opportunities.
Ambani has also warned his players against overcomplicating their build-up, particularly in their own half, where careless possession could invite dangerous counter-attacks from the visitors.
“We have to stop complicating things in dangerous areas. When we lose the ball while playing short passes in our own half, we expose ourselves,” he said.
The Leopards coach wants his creative players to break defensive lines with greater urgency, dribble at opponents and turn promising attacking positions into goals. He also knows that another slip could undermine their ambitions in a season where consistency will be crucial.
“Every match deserves respect. If we want to challenge for the title, we cannot afford to keep dropping points,” Ambani said.
The recent head-to-head record favours Leopards, who thrashed Shabana 5-1 in March and won 2-1 in the reverse league fixture in October 2025. But Fathi is determined to ensure his side do not travel to Nairobi merely to make up the numbers.
“We did not come here just to participate. We want to build a team that can challenge for the biggest honours,” he said.
