AFC Leopards nicked a narrow victory over Nzoia Sugar to build new momentum.A troubled giant struggling with both on and off-the-pitch issues pulled through and got the job done against this year’s Cinderella story, Nzoia Sugar, in a tightly contested affair at Nyayo National Stadium.Nzoia met with their first dent in the last five games but that will not stop them from the unthinkable dream of challenging the two super forces to the FKF-PL title.Leopards, on the other hand, were looking for the slightest ounce of momentum going into the final stretch of the season, given their recent performances.Surely, they got it, if the one-nil victory is anything to go by. Nzoia Sugar’s head coach, Salim Babu set up his side in a very dynamic 4-3-3 formation on paper. However, this shape would vary into a 2-3-2-3 or 3-2-2-3 on the field of play depending on the scenarios that came up during the build-up phase.Tactical Brilliance Unleashed: Balaji EPZ and Dandora Youth’s Strategic ManeuversIn hindsight, this shape looks like a very expansive approach but there is more to what meets the eye. Babu approached this game with pragmatism, maybe rightfully so given that they were playing away from their fortress, Sudi Stadium.A four-man defensive line of Kelvin Maliachi, Randy Bakari, Ian Karani, and Timothy Wanyaga stood in front of their shot-stopper, Humphrey Katasi while Boniface Kweyu, Juma Kelvin, and Beja Hassan formed a midfield trio.James Kibande, Joseph Mwangi, and Sije Yasin were tasked with the duty to lead attacks. Babu’s men operated interestingly in possession. The team would force a tilt in one side of the pitch where they had more bodies for quick combinations before trying to find a man running in behind.Katasi would start the build-up with a short pass to Karani or Bakari, who quickly move the wide into the right flank to Wanyaga, the rest of the team would follow this tilt and move to the ball side half. Either Kelvin or Yasin dropped to make themselves available in the first phase or move to the ball side to provide a numerical advantage against Leopard’s winger and left the interior in case he went to support the press.Kweyu and Maliachi observed the plays anticipating actions in case they are needed as outlets. Mwangi constantly moved around the box to occupy defenders. His physic allowed him to get into duels and make sure defenders were always attentive to his movements.As a result, Kibande would then look to run on the blind side of either defender in the last line. When Ingwe pressed aggressively, Nzoia had no issues going long or direct through the left corridor. The same tilt would occur to achieve the same goal.Off the ball, the visitors applied an optional zonal press prompted by the game state. They looked to ‘steal’ the ball and spin turnovers into attacks as quickly as possible. A concept widely promoted by Liverpool’s assistant coach, Pep Ljinders.Derby Fever: Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards ready for thrilling Mashemeji ShowdownNzoia was fine committing as many as three players around a ball player in a press. The aim was to steal the ball not cutting off passing lanes. A reward of this approach is seen midway through the match when three Nzoia players surround Washington Munene, forcing him into an error.Mwangi had dropped deep to support the press and he wins Munene’s misplaced pass, he quickly releases Maliachi in an overlap who cuts inside and passes to an inverting Yasin who finds Mwangi again between defenders but a bad first touch ricochets the ball off Juma’s knees and lands in the path of Maliachi to send the shot past Lewis Opiyo.However, Mwangi was slightly offside and the goal was disallowed. Nzoia struggled with normal build most of the time due to Ingwe’s press.The home side was organized in a 4-3-3 formation on paper and a variation of 2-3-2-3 or 2-3-3-2 in possession. Opiyo had the cover of Munene, Robert Mudenyu, Collins Shivachi, and Peter Ng’ang’a ahead of him.Captain, Eugene Mukangula played on the right side of Musa Oundo while Brayan Wanyama sorted the left interior. The offensive line comprised of triple O; Olaniyi Ojo, Jafari Owiti, and Victor Omune.During the first build-up phase, Mudenyu and Shivachi drifted wide apart while fullbacks pushed high up the pitch to occupy second or third vertical lines. Nzoia’s press enabled Ingwe to build up with ease up until the second phase.##NAJAVA_MECA_7244488##The dynamic nature and intelligence of Leopard’s midfield such as Oundo or Wanyama alongside a supporting act in Omune allowed AFC to manipulate spaces quite well. Oundo would drop to pick up the ball from the center backs, use his brilliance to escape press or pick up Wanyama in between the lines, and progress AFC’s attack into the final third.Omune’s inside movements provided another solution for Patrick Aussems’ men. He would use his close control, quick feet and good reading of the game to pop up into the inside channels, receive and look to combine with either Mukangula, Ojo, or Wanyama in between the lines.These movements were often untracked because it would mean pulling his markers out of position. The first and only goal is a testament to the intelligence and dynamism of the trio of Oundo, Wayama and Omune in reading the game and moving into the right areas.Oundo wins the ball in the middle of the park, he finds Mukangula who then switches play to the left flank. Omune dropped deep to receive the ball and drives forward.He arrives in traffic but Oundo reads the situation well and comes to offer support. He lost his marker and popped up as a free man. Omune finds him in a tight space, he plays a quick first-time pass to Wanyama who then uses his pausa to relieve pressure and play the ball out of traffic to Ng’ang’a.With Nzoia players trapped in an overload in that same sequence of play, Thiong’o quickly goes long to bypass the traffic into the area. He finds Mukangula who brilliantly chests the ball into Ojo’s path, the latter only needing one touch before sending in a shot into the bottom right corner Nzoia’s Katasi could only wish.⚽️⚽️⚽️#OursForever pic.twitter.com/LAWtTEgxyG— AFC Leopards SC (@AFCLeopards) May 9, 2023 Off the ball, Leopards 2-3-2-3 changed into a 4-1-4-1 with Ojo leading the press. While it was not difficult for Nzoia to bypass the first line of press from AFC, it got a bit hard to bypass their midblock. This scenario often forced Nzoia to go long and bet on winning duels.The final stretch of the game saw both managers making obvious changes. Aussems was determined to see out the game, he brought in more defensive cover to make sure his last lines remained compact. That does not mean he shied away from attacking because there are many instances where he committed more bodies forward, especially in transitions.He cautiously attacked when a chance presented itself but it generally felt a more reserved second half. Nzoia brought more firepower and were forced to push forward more players. It gave them slightly more time on the ball but also left them vulnerable at the back.Ojo later got through on goal after capitalizing on Randy Bakari’s under hit header back to his goalkeeper but the post denied him a clear-cut chance. Nzoia were forced to finish the match with ten players after Kelvin was showed a second yellow card in the dying minutes of the game.The result left both teams in their prior positions.
