AFC Leopards stumble as Bandari hold Ingwe to goalless draw in FKF season opener

AFC Leopards were held to a goalless draw by Bandari FC in their 2026/27 FKF Premier League opener. (Photo: Facebook/AFC Leopards SC)

AFC Leopards dropped points in their opening match of the 2026/27 Football Kenya Federation Premier League season after being held to a goalless draw by Bandari FC at Police Sacco Grounds on Wednesday.

Ingwe, who finished second last season, dominated large spells of the match but lacked the cutting edge to turn their chances into goals against a disciplined Bandari defence.

The result is an early setback for Leopards, who are expected to challenge defending champions Gor Mahia and other title contenders after strengthening their squad in the transfer market.

Leopards started brightly, with James Kinyanjui threatening early after connecting with Samuel Semo’s delivery. However, Bandari goalkeeper James Ochuka reacted quickly to deny the forward.

Kinyanjui thought he had broken the deadlock in the 10th minute, only for the goal to be ruled out after the ball had crossed the line before the delivery into the penalty area.

Bandari gradually grew into the contest and came close to taking the lead in the 28th minute after capitalising on a defensive error by the hosts. Luke Otiala’s mistake allowed Lawrence Okoth to unleash a first-time effort, but Tom Ikara made a crucial save to keep the scores level.

Both sides pushed for an opener before the break, but neither could find a breakthrough as they headed into half-time at 0-0.

The tempo remained high after the restart, with Leopards enjoying more possession and pressing forward in search of a winner. However, they continued to struggle to create clear-cut chances.

The introduction of Gambian midfielder Adama Kanteh injected fresh energy into Ingwe’s attack. In the 73rd minute, Kanteh beat his marker before reaching the byline and sending a cross into the danger area.

Samuel Ssenyonjo met the delivery, but the Ugandan striker failed to direct his effort on target, wasting one of Leopards’ best opportunities of the second half.

Despite a late push, Leopards could not find the decisive goal, with referee Israel Mpaima bringing the contest to an end with the scores unchanged.

The draw leaves Ingwe with work to do as they seek to build on last season’s second-place finish and establish an early challenge for the league title.

Elsewhere, Kakamega Homeboyz made a winning start to their campaign with a late 1-0 victory over newly promoted Mombasa United at Mbaraki Stadium.

Abana Beingo struck in the closing stages to break Mombasa United’s resistance and secure all three points for Homeboyz in a closely contested encounter on the coast.

The defeat was a frustrating start for Mombasa United, who came close to earning a point in their first top-flight appearance.

While Homeboyz collected maximum points, Leopards were left to rue missed opportunities after failing to make their dominance count against Bandari.