Kelly Madada dominant as AFC Leopards floor KCB to overcome embarrasing Talanta blip

AFC Leopards put their with a thrilling 4-2 victory over KCB in an FKF Premier League clash held on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, at St Sebastian Park, Murang’a. The standout performer of the day was youngster Kelly Madada, whose two second-half goals sealed a much-needed win for Ingwe.

Goals from Kennedy Owino, Ovella Ochieng, and Madada’s brace secured the points for Leopards, while Stephen Etyang and Francis Kahiro were on target for KCB in an entertaining encounter.

Ambani’s tactical shake up pays dividends

Leopards head coach Fred Ambani made five changes to the side that fell to Talanta in their previous outing. Levis Opiyo, Gedeon Were, Ovella Ochieng, Arthur Gitego, and Kelly Madada were drafted into the starting XI, replacing Humphrey Katasi, Randi Bakari, Clifton Miheso, Victor Omune, and Sydney Lokale. The tactical adjustments paid immediate dividends.

Leopards started the game with intent and broke the deadlock as early as the 4th minute. Kennedy Owino headed home a pinpoint cross from Ovella Ochieng to give the hosts an early advantage.

 However, KCB responded swiftly, with Stephen Etyang equalizing in the 12th minute to restore parity.

Ogam has netted 15 league goals in 17 games so far this season, and could be on course to break Simba-linked star Elvis Rupia's FKFPL goalscoring record set in 2023.

The evenly contested first half saw both sides battling for control in midfield. But it was Ovella Ochieng who tilted the scales in Leopards’ favor with a moment of brilliance. The winger unleashed a stunning free kick from 30 yards in the 19th minute to restore Leopards’ lead.

Despite the setback, KCB showed resilience and leveled the score just before halftime. Francis Kahiro capitalized on a lapse in Leopards’ defense to make it 2-2 in the 44th minute, ensuring the teams went into the break on equal footing.

Kelly Madada’s second-half masterclass

A number of players made their national team debuts for the side against Burkina Faso last weekend, and Muchiri has now sent them words of advice.

Leopards came out firing in the second half, and it didn’t take long for them to regain the lead. In the 50th minute, Victor Otieno set up Kelly Madada, who executed a brilliant volley to put Ingwe ahead for the third time in the match.

KCB pushed hard for another equalizer, but Leopards’ defense held firm, with the team adopting a deeper setup to deny The Bankers any space.

Madada then delivered the final blow in the 80th minute. Combining beautifully with Victor Omune, the youngster slotted home his second goal of the game, making it 4-2 and effectively putting the contest to bed.

The emphatic win lifts AFC Leopards to fifth place on the FKF Premier League table with 25 points, while KCB remains in third place with 28 points. 

Harambee Stars assistant coach believes Harambee Stars' goalscoring issue is about a lack of enough quality strikers, but Jacob 'Ghost' Mulee disagrees, labling it a 'lame excuse'.