Yanga striker Simon Msuva (left) shoots the ball as Mtibwa Sugar forward Kelvin Friday guards during their Vodacom Premier League match at the National Stadium yesterday. Yanga won 1-0. PHOTO | SAID KHAMIS
What you need to know:
Simon Msuva scored the solitary goal in the 47th minute to ensure that Yanga leapfrogged Simba SC who square up with Toto Africans this evening. Yanga top the 16-team log with 59 points after playing 24 matches. They are closely followed by Simba who have 57 points as Azam FC occupy the third spot with 55 points.
Dar es Salaam. The Mainland reigning champions, Young Africans, returned to the summit of the Vodacom Premier League table with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Mtibwa Sugar at the National Stadium yesterday.
Simon Msuva scored the solitary goal in the 47th minute to ensure that Yanga leapfrogged Simba SC who square up with Toto Africans this evening. Yanga top the 16-team log with 59 points after playing 24 matches. They are closely followed by Simba who have 57 points as Azam FC occupy the third spot with 55 points.
However, Simba, who are in red-hot form under Jackson Mayanja, may reclaim the driver’s seat with a victory over Toto Africans.
At Mkwakwani Stadium, bottom placed Coastal Union revived their dim hopes of surviving relegation after beating fellow strugglers JKT Ruvu 1-0. Despite the win, the Tanga giants still occupy the bottom place with 22 points garnered from 27 matches while JKT Ruvu ar 13th with 24 points from 25 outings.
Ndanda FC boosted their hopes of staying in the topflight with 2-0 win over Kagera Sugar at Nngwanda Sijaona Stadium yesterday.
The Mtwara outfit has played 27 matches and have accumulated 33 points while Kagera Sugar are placed 12th with 25 points. They have played 27 matches. All eyes were, however, focused on the Yanga versus Mtibwa Sugar match at the 60,000-seater stadium where Simba and Azam fans prayed for the defending champions to drop points.
Yanga kicked off the match on a high note and dominated possession for long spells of the first half.
Donald Ngoma, who played as a solo striker, Msuva and Thabani Kamusoko had some decent scoring chances early on, but could not beat Said Mohammed who had a busy evening between the posts.
Mtibwa Sugar took control of the game midway through the first half, but could only craft a few chances that Kelvin Friday, Seleman Rajab and Chiza Kichuya failed to convert.
Both sides went into the breather deadlocked, but they were Yanga who came back stronger and it took two minutes only to end the stalemate.
Msuva gave Yanga the lead with a powerful 18-metre shot, which gave Mohamed no chance.
Lineups
Yanga: Deogratius Munishi, Juma Abdul, Oscar Joshua, Kevin Yondani , Nadir Haroub, Vincent Bossou, Simon Msuva, Thabani Kamusoko, Donald Ngoma, Haruna Niyonzima and Deus Kaseke.
Mtibwa Sugar: Said Mohamed, Ally Shomari, Majaliwa Shaaban, Andrew Vincent, Salim Mbonde, Shaban Nditi, Shiza Kichuya, Muzamil Yassin, Ibrahim Rajab, Suleiman Rajab and Kelvin Friday.
