Ex-Police ‘magician’ praised for transforming AFC Leopards fortunes

NAIROBI, Kenya, March 18, 2026 – AFC Leopards head coach Fred Ambani believes Tyson Otieno has formed a lethal partnership with Ugandan striker Samuel Ssenyonjo at the apex of the team’s frontline.

Ambani says the creative midfielder has matured into a cornerstone of the side and has developed a telepathic understanding with Ssenyonjo.

“He has done very great for us as a team. He has also found someone who is able to make the runs into the half spaces, allowing him to make those through passes. We are very grateful to have him into the team,” the former Ingwe marksman said.

Otieno joined the ‘Den’ at the start of the 2025/26 season after his unceremonial release from league champions Kenya Police.

The midfield magician struggled to feature for the law enforcers across two seasons after joining from Kariobangi Sharks.

His signing by Leopards was met with scepticism from some quarters who felt that the attacking midfielder does not give his all as much as he should.

However, Ambani says he has always been confident that Otieno would eventually regain his groove and prove to be money-well-spent by the club.

“When I said that Tyson was going to be a very important player for us, many people did not understand me. It is now becoming very clear that he is a very integral player in this team. He is a player who is able to turn the game on its head,” the gaffer explained.

The midfielder was on hand to change the complexion of the match against Nairobi United on Wednesday, threading in a through ball to Ssenyonjo who coolly converted for a 1-0 victory for Leopards.

Ingwe, who were coming from a humiliating 4-1 loss to Mathare United on Saturday, sit second on the Kenya Premier League table with 43 points – seven adrift of their archrivals Gor Mahia.

Commenting on the good day in office, Ambani said it was necessary for the 12-time league champions to avenge their loss over the weekend.

“It was important for us to gain the three points but it was never going to be easy considering the calibre of the team we were up against. Nairobi United are a very good team with a very good coach so we came prepared. We are very thankful for the three points,” he said.

Heading into the weekend fixtures, a source of headache for Ambani will be the injury to goalkeeper Humphrey Katasi who had to come off in the second half.

In his place came James Ssetuba, who was in goal during the Mathare massacre.

Nonetheless, Ambani is proud of the Ugandan and how he picked up from where his compatriot had left off by making a number of crucial saves.

“The goals that he conceded in the last match were not his fault but we felt the need to start with Katasi because maybe Ssetuba’s confidence had been shattered a little bit. However, he came on and did well as you could see he made a number of crucial saves to preserve our lead,” Ambani said.

Ingwe’s next match is a tricky tie against a resurgent Tusker FC on Sunday.

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Despite a difficult domestic campaign, Liverpool produce one of their best displays of the season against Galatasaray in the Champions League.

LIV Golf South Africa tees off on Thursday, 19 March at The Club at Steyn City, marking the league’s first-ever event on African soil – and it arrives with a massive financial and economic impact.

UPDATE: The tee-times have been brought forward to 10:05 from 12:15 due to bad weather forecast for later in the afternoon. Gates will open to the public at 09:00.

The course is a par-71 measuring 7 557 yards.

For 2026, LIV Golf has boosted its total purse per tournament to $30 million (R505 million):

• Individual purse: $20 million, with the winner earning $4 million and last place $50 000
• Team purse: $10 million, now shared among all 13 teams

Big names

Local hopes will rest on Southern Guards GC, featuring Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace and Dean Burmester.

The field includes big names such as Spain’s Jon Rahm and American duo Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson.

The first-round shotgun tee times have been confirmed.

In the marquee three-player pairings, Charl Schwarztzel will tee off alongside England’s Lee Westwood and Rahm off the first tee.

Also off the first tee will be Louis Oosthuizen alongside DeChambeau and American Dustin Johnson.

Branden Grace will start from the 13th hole with England’s Tyrrell Hatton and Harold Varner III of the United States.

Finally, Dean Burmester will start on the 18th hole alongside Chile’s Joaquin Niemann and Belgium’s Thomas Detry.

All Round 1 tee times are at 12:15.

Boost for local economy

With just under 100 000 tickets already sold, the event is expected to deliver a major boost to Johannesburg’s economy.

Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie has projected close to R1 billion in economic activity, driven by tourism, hospitality and global exposure.

LIV Golf has also pledged $100 000 (R1.68 million) towards community initiatives, including support for a soup kitchen in Diepsloot.

Unique format

The tournament features both individual and team competitions running simultaneously:

• Individual: 57 players compete over 72 holes, with no cut
• Team: 13 teams, with all four players’ scores counting daily – a new rule for 2026

Beyond prize money, players will compete for Official World Golf Ranking points and season-long bonuses.

With high stakes, global stars and local talent, the Johannesburg event is set to be a landmark moment for golf on the continent.

LIV Golf South Africa team prize money breakdown