Humphrey Mieno scored in the 19th minute when he received Patrick Kagogo’s ball from the edge of the box on the left flank, controlled well before smashing past Leopards ‘keeper and captain Lawrence Webo.

A lively atmosphere was marked by an unusually big crowd so early in the season and the now hallmark Sofapaka cheer drums and Leopards “isikuti” jingles rent the air. There was also hearty singing by fans of both teams.

The early surges were mostly by Leopards, the FKL (Football Kenya Limited) Cup holders hoping to catch off foot pre-match favourites Sofapaka, the Kenyan Premiership champions.

That was quickly cancelled out after a quarter of an hour by a cutthroat fight-back by Sofapaka who sensed Leopards would grow in too much confidence.

After Mieno’s goal, Sofapaka established the perceived correct order of superiority and Leopards had to then fight from a back foot to find an equaliser.

The team that had a turbulent 2009 season, however, impressed with their great spirit. They created many good chances and it was Kenya ‘keeper Wilson Oburu who saved Sofapaka from conceding at least three goals.

Sebastian Muchera had a curling shot from the left flank barely being pushed out by Oburu for a corner. Itubu Imbem was neatly tackled by Edgar “Fighter” Ochieng’, the ex-Mathare United kingpin central defender, just when the Leopards striker was about to pull the trigger in the 33rd minute.

Oburu miraculously kept off a fierce header by Muchera deep in the second half and also blocked another from Gregory Nyapala in the 80th minute. Dimonde Selenga [Congo Kinshasa], an ex-Sofapaka man who came in for Leopards in the 51st minute showed unusual guts in his new team and was on constant piercing raids. The same could be said of another fellow foreign import, Imbem [Cameroon].

The Leopards’ defence had a stout performance and the fact that they ceded little ground to fiery Sofapaka attackers, such as Kenya Player-of-the-Year and joint top scorer John Baraza and the foreign legion of Patrick Kagogo and Bob Mugalia [Congo] showed they had a great future ahead in the Premiership that kicks off on February 20.

Chris Makokha the Leopards coach who last trained the team in the glory days of 1983, left the stadium with his head high.

Having said before the match he had had little time to prepare the team and feared a hiding, quipped: “I congratulate the boys for a good performance. I am satisfied and impressed by how the new faces stood up against the formidable Sofapaka. Given more matches, this should be a good team.”

He was backed by the winning Sofapaka coach Robert Matano who said: “This team [Leopards] is different from the one that struggled throughout last year. Indeed I am glad we came out with the win. The new faces gave us a hectic time, but I wish them a good season, which they will deserve if they play to the promise evident today.”

The season-opener for the first time was a sponsored event and renamed the SuperSport/DStv Champions Cup. Pay television broadcaster SuperSport, whose Head of Africa, Gary Rathbone, attended the match awarded Sh500,000 to Sofapaka and Sh250,000 to AFC Leopards.

In five day’s time, the two teams will play first round home matches in continental championships.

AFC Leopards host Banks of Ethiopia in the CAF [African Football Confederation] Cup and Sofapaka clash with Ismailia of Egypt in the [African clubs’] Champions League.

SuperSport/DStv Champions Cup 2010

07-02-2010, National Stadium (Nairobi) 4pm:

TEAMS:

AFC Leopards - 16. Lawrence Webo (captain): 15. Wellington Murwayi, 6. Milton Milimo, 25. Martin Imbalambala (12. Gregory Nyapala, 54’), 4. Franklin Osama, 7. Francis Xavier (8. Ekeme Umekwe, 54’), 28. Samuel Mwangi, 35. Peter Wainaina, 14. Sebastian Muchera, 11. Itubu Imbem, 30. Geoffrey Omusula (17. Dimonde Selenga, 51’)

Reserves not used - 22. Selemani Mubihila, 5. Edwin Barasa, 19. Edwin Misiko, 9. Jacob Mulamba,

Coach - Chris Makokha

Sofapaka - 29. Wilson Oburu: 7. Thomas Wanyama, 25. Collins Tiego, 15. Tumba Kilonzo, 5. Edgar “Fighter” Ochieng’, 14. James Situma (captain), 11. Anthony Kimani Njenga (18. Tafadzwa Dondo, 65’), 20. Humphrey Mieno, 9. Bob Mugalia, 10. Patrick Kagogo (17. Salim Khamis, 89’), 12. John Baraza

Reserves not used- 27. George Opiyo, 14. Mike Luheni, 6. Idrissa Rajab, 3. Nicholas Muyoti, 8. Laurent Tumba

Scorer – 20. Humphrey Mieno (19’)

Coach - Robert Matano

Referee - Nassur Doka