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 By Majuto Omary
The Citizen Reporter
Dar es Salaam. A 78th minute goal by Hamis Kiiza recued Young Africans from the jaws of defeat as they settled for a 2-2 draw with Moro United in a thrilling Vodacom Premier League match yesterday.
Kiiza levelled matters for the hosts though a penalty after Moro United’s defender Tumba Sued handled the ball in the box in desperate efforts to clear a dangerous move at the National Stadium.Yanga, seeking a win so as to launch their second round campaign with a bang, fluffed a number of chances early in the first half, the culprits being Davis Mwape, Keneth Asamoah and Kiiza.
Mwape missed what could have been the match-opener seven minutes into the game when his close range effort went a few centimetres wide.Six minutes later, Asmoah broke through only to see his close range shot narrowly miss target before Kiiza’s effort sizzling shot went wide.Moro United took the game to the Mainland champions after 20 minutes and ought to have gone one up in the 29th minute when Tumba Sued, with the net at his mercy, shot wide.
Two minutes later, Kelvin Charle beat two defenders just outside the box, but his shot missed target as the visitors pressed for the match-opener.Yanga suffered a blow in the 41st minute when team skipper Shadrack Nsajigwa was given marching orders by referee Kassim Abdallah of Dar es Salaam for elbowing Moro United’s striker Hilal Bingwa.
Two minutes to half time, Yanga broke the stalemate through Asamoah who concluded a one-two between Kiiza and Niyonzima with a superb shot that gave goalie Jackson Chovu no chance.
Moro United’s striker Bingwa, who was a real thorn in the fresh of Yanga defence, cancelled the hosts’ lead four minutes into the second half with a header off a neat cross by Kelvin Charle.
Moro United made it 2-0 in the 73rd minute when Simon Movasho right-footer from the edge of the box went straight into the back of the net, leaving goalkeeper Shaaban Kado flat footed.
The match appeared destined to end 2-1 in favour of Moro United until in the 78th minute when Yanga equalised through a penalty.In yesterday’s other matches, an injury time strike by JKT Oljoro’s striker Meshack Mlembe condemned hosts Mtibwa Sugar to a 1-0 defeat at the Manungu Stadium in Morogoro.
In Coast Region, Mwanza’s Toto Africa tumbled 2-0 to hosts Ruvu Shooting while Kagera Sugar hit Villa Squad 4-2 in Bukoba.
Line-ups: Yanga- Shaaban Kado, Shadrack Nsajigwa, Stephano Mwasika, Nadir Haroub, Bakari Mbegu, Juma Seif, Nurdin Bakari, Haruna Niyonzima, Davis Mwape, Keneth Asamoah and Hamis Kiiza.
Moro United- Jackson Chovu, Erick Mawala, Salum Kanoni, Tumba Sued, Meshack Abeid, Gidson Seppo, Benedict Ngassa, Hilal Bingwa, Jerome Lembele, Kelvin Charles and Fred Mbuna.
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