Kiiza strike sinks Ruvu as City, JKT held
Young Africans striker Didier Kavumbagu makes his way past defender Shaaban Suzan of Ruvu Shooting (down) during the Mainland Premier League match at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam yesterday. PHOTO | MICHAEL MATEMANGA
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Kiiza concluded a one-two between Mrisho Ngassa and second half substitute Athuman Idd with a tricky shot to put his team’s league campaign back on track.
Dar es Salaam. A second half goal by Young Africans striker Hamis Kiiza condemned hard-fighting Ruvu Shooting to a 1-0 defeat in a thrilling Premier League match at the National Stadium yesterday.
Kiiza concluded a one-two between Mrisho Ngassa and second half substitute Athuman Idd with a tricky shot to put his team’s league campaign back on track.
The goal came as relief for Yanga fans who were left disgruntled when the Mainland champions crashed to a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Azam FC at the same venue earlier this week.
Yanga’s assistant coach Fred Felix Minziro savoured the moment with a double-fist pump while the army team’s technical bench members were sullen and motionless.
Yanga, needing a win to restore their poise, had the upper hand over Ruvu Shooting for a better part of the first half and they could have had two or three goals by the break.
In the 11th minute, Haruna Niyonzima broke through, but luckily for Ruvu Shooting, defender Michael Seif came to the rescue after the Rwandan midfielder hesitated to place the ball in the net.
Six minutes later, Seif Lloris pulled off a brake save to deny Niyonzima as Yanga pressed for the match-opener.
Another chance for the Jangwani Street boys to break the stalemate came in the 21 minute when Didier Kavumbagu failed to connect home a neat cross by Simon Msuva.
The victory means Yanga now have nine points from six games, two points adrift of leaders Simba, who take on JKT Ruvu today at the same venue.
In yesterday’s other league matches, JKT Oljoro and JKT Mgambo battled to a barren draw and Kagera Sugar squeezed a 1-0 win over Rhino Rangers in Bukoba.
Mbeya City, who forced Simba to a 2-2 draw at the National Stadium earlier this week, settled for a one-all draw with Coastal Union at Mkwakwani Stadium in Tanga.
Line-ups:
Yanga:-Ali Mustafa, Mbuyu Twite, David Luhende, Nadir Haroub, Kelvin Yondani, Frank Domayo, Simon Msuva, Haruna Niyonzima, Didier Kavumbagu, Hamis Kiiza and Mrisho Ngassa.
Ruvu Shooting:- Abdul Seif, Michael Pius, Stephano Mwasika, George Michael, Shaaban Suzan, GidionDavid, Ayoub Kitala, Hassan Dilunga, Cosmas Lewis, Elias Maguli and Jerome Lembele.
