Unbeaten Azam go 8 points clear

Azam Football Club striker Prince Dube fights for the ball against Ihefu FC defender Emmanuel Kichiba during the Vodacom Premier League encounter at the Sokoine Stadium yesterday. Azam won 2-0. PHOTO | COURTESY OF AZAM FC

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The results have also made the ice cream-makers cling on to the top position of the ongoing Vodacom Premier League standings against traditional rivals, Simba and Young Africans (Yanga).

Dar es Salaam. A 2-0 win over Ihefu FC at the Sokoine Stadium in Mbeya yesterday made Azam Football Club maintain their unbeaten run.

The results have also made the ice cream-makers cling on to the top position of the ongoing Vodacom Premier League standings against traditional rivals, Simba and Young Africans (Yanga).

Azam FC’s goals were scored by Ayoub Lyanga in 55th and Idd Nado in 84th following a commendable job by Prince Dube, who is leading the scoring chart with six goals.

Azam FC have so far managed to collect 21 points from seven matches while Simba and Yanga have 13 points each after both playing five matches and will be in action tomorrow at different venues.

Simba face Tanzania Prisons at the Sokoine Stadium in Mbeya while Yanga host Polisi Tanzania at the Uhuru Stadium. Both matches have been scheduled to start from 4pm. Records show that Azam are yet to lose a match or to draw since the start of the league as they have scored 14 goals and conceded two. Despite having played more matches with more points, the ice cream-makers tie with Simba in both goal forward and goal against. Simba hold the second position with 13 points after scoring 14 goals and conceding two. Yanga are third with 13 points after scoring seven goals and conceding one.

Azam FC head coach Aristica Cioaba commended his players for the victory, although Ihefu FC, under new coach Zubeir Katwila showed a strong opposition in the match. The teams recorded a barren draw at the breather.

“Ihefu FC were very strong and managed to give us challenges in the first half. But we managed to change the pattern of the game in the second half and scored the two important goals. It is good results to us,” said Cioaba.

For his part, Katwila said he has just joined the team and has a lot of work to reshape the side.

“We played against one of the tough teams in the league as my task in the first place was to psychologically prepare the players for the encounter, but we made mistakes that gave them advantage,” said Katwila. The loss has made Ihefu remain in the 17th position with three points from seven matches. At the Uhuru Stadium, KMC drew 1-1 against Ruvu Shooting. Andrew Vincent scored for KMC in 26th before Shaaban Msala qualized for Ruvu Shooting in 56th. In Shinyanga, Mwadui beat Mbeya City 2-1 while at the Kaitaba Stadium, Kagera Sugar and Dodoma Mji FC shared the spoils.