Yanga ease past army side as gritty Alliance hold KMC

What you need to know:

A 1-0 win over JKT in Tanga yesterday came as a timely morale booster for Yanga ahead of Saturday’s clash against their tarditional foes Simba

Tanga. A first half goal by Young Africans midfielder Faisal Salum condemned JKT Tanzania to a 1-0 defeat at the CCM Mkwakwani Stadium here yesterday.

Salum scored the all-important goal for the Jangwani Street giants in the 26th minute off a pass by defender Gadiel Michael.

The victory means Yanga now sit at the pilot’s seat of the Mainland Premier League with 58 points from 22 games.

It was a timely morale booster for Yanga ahead of their tricky clash against their arch rivals Simba at the National Stadium on Saturday.

Simba, on the other hand, face Al Ahly of Egypt in the Group D match of the Caf Champions League tomorrow at the same venue.

Following the home defeat, JKT Tanzania, who had promised to down Yanga, are now placed eighth in the league table.

Alliance, who battled to a 1-1 draw with KMC in another league match at the Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam yesterday, sit seventh.

Despite the defeat, JKT played their hearts yesterday, especially in the second half but poor finishing let them down.

The army team fluffed three clear chances after the hour mark, the culprits being Mohammed Shiboli and Samuel Kamuntu.

In the 58th minute, Yanga coach Mwinyi Zahera brought in Mohammed Issa ‘Banka’ to replace Mrisho Ngassa.

Meanwhile, A 21-member squad of Al Ahly of Egypt arrived in the country yesterday ahead of tomorrow’s Caf Champions League match against Simba.

The Group D clash will start at 4pm at the National Stadium.

Al Ahly are at the top of the four-team group with seven points from three matches, three ahead of second-placed AS Vita Club of DR Congo.

Simba sit third with three points while Algeria’s JS Souara are at the bottom of the group with two points after three games.

Al Ahly squad:

Goalkeepers: - Sherif Ekramy, Mohamed El Shennawy and Ali Lotfi.

Defenders: Saad Samir, Rami Rabia, Ayman Ashraf, Ali Maaloul, Mahmoud Wahid, Mohamed Hany and Yasser Ibrahim.

Midfielders: Amr El-Sulya, Karim Nedved, Hamdi Fathi, Islam Mohareb, Hussein El-Shahat, Ramadan Sobhi, Nasser Maher, Mohamed Sherif and Hesham Mohamed.

Strikers: Salah Mohsen and Junior Ajayi.