AFC Leopards confirm change of Mashemeji Derby date and venue
16th April 2024
The game was initially set to be played on 20 April.
- The Mashemeji Derby will now be played on Sunday, April 21.
- The game was initially scheduled for 20 April.
- The venue has also been moved from the Machakos Stadium.
Football fans in the country were left in confusion over the
much-awaited Mashemeji Derby between Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards.
The confusion emanated from the venue that would host one of
the most-watched FKF Premier League matches.
Initially, the game was supposed to be played at the Nyayo National Stadium or the Kenyatta Stadium in Machakos on 20 April.
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However, it emerged that Nyayo had already been reserved for the annual ABSA Kip Keino Classic scheduled to take place on Saturday, the same day as the Mashemeji Derby, leaving Machakos as the alternative.
However, AFC Leopards have since
confirmed that the derby day has been rescheduled from Saturday, April 20 to
Sunday, April 21 and has been returned to Nyayo Stadium.
"The Derby has been rescheduled from April 20 to April
21 at Nyayo National Stadium," AFC Leopards announced on their website.
The fans had also raised concerns over hosting the match in
Machakos as the stadium capacity of 8,000 would not be ideal for the clash due
to security reasons.
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With the confirmation of the venue, AFC Leopards have already started early preparations for the derby.
Speaking to the club media, Ken Owino who scored an important goal for
Ingwe against his former club Posta Rangers, pointed out that Tomas Trucha's
side is seeking to capitalize on the weekend win to torment Gor.
The defender who joined Ingwe in February, assured fans that
they will get value for the money and should turn out in numbers to offer their support in the Mashemeji Derby.
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“We have the derby on Sunday and you know it’s the biggest game on the land. Preparations started immediately after the Posta Rangers game.
Once again, we urge all our fans to come and rally behind the team. We
will give a good account of ourselves. I can’t wait for my Mashemeji Derby
debut," Owino stated.
Johnathan McKinstry's side will be using the derby to
solidify their title ambitions while Ingwe will be seeking to make a mark and
secure a top-six finish.
As it stands, Gor sits at the summit on 54 points while Ingwe are 8th with 38 points.
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