Leopards’ new signing Mukangula voted fans’ player of the match
AFC Leopards midfielder Eugene Mukangula has been voted the fans’ best performing player during the team’s 1-1 league draw against Kariobangi Sharks in the opening game of the 2018/2019 SportPesa Premier League season.
The former Thika United midfielder, who joined the club in June, was awarded Sh10,000 by the club’s former chief executive Richard Ekhalie in a project dubbed ‘Back 2 Glory’ after the game, in what is aimed at motivating the players to perform better and challenge for the league title.
“I am delighted with this nomination and the reward. In truth, it would have been anyone of my colleagues winning this award because we played very well as a team and I’m disappointed we didn’t start the league campaign with a win,” said Mukangula.
Ekhalie, who is seeking to unseat chairman Dan Mule during the club’s forthcoming elections in June 2019, explained to Nairobi News this exercise will go on in all of the team’s 34 league matches this season.
REWARD PLAYERS
“The fund to reward players is ready. We are only supposed to reward the players when they win a league match but I noted the boys played very well today against a strong Sharks side that just defeated Gor Mahia last week and decided to recognize that,” Ekhalie said.
“Ultimately, we are keen to lure other partners to help us reward the whole group of players and coaches in the event of a win, and if the team assumes the top position on the league standings and remains there each weekend,” he added.
A similar award scheme is also successfully practiced by a number of clubs in Uganda, Tanzana, Zambia and South Africa.
Despite priding itself as one of the most successful sporting entities in the region, Leopards last won the league title in 1998. The club finished seventh in the league last season.