YOUNG Africans dropped crucial points for the third successive game in the Mainland Premier League, after being held to a 1-1 draw by Polisi Tanzania at the Ushirika Stadium in Moshi on Tuesday.
Their rivals Simba extended lead at the summit following a 1-0 win over Kagera Sugar at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam yesterday.
In Moshi, Tariq Seif’s first half strike for Yanga was cancelled out by Sixtus Sabilo in the second half as the Jangwani Street lads continue to lose ground in the title race.
Yanga entered the Ushirika venue at the backdrop of back to back draws and they clearly knew that nothing but a victory will appease their fuming fans and regain their strength in the title race.
Following the results, Yanga are now fourth on the log with 40 points from 21 matches same as third placed Namungo FC, who have played 22 outings but are separated on superior goal difference.
Yanga are now 19 points off the pace behind runaway leaders Simba, who posted 59 points from 23 games. Kagera Sugar remained sixth on 34 points from 22 matches.
On the other hand, Polisi Tanzania remained eighth on the log with 34 points from 23 matches as they continue their perfect form at home territory from where they have stamped most of their league wins.
Polisi Tanzania have denied Yanga maximum points for the second time this season.
When the two sides met in the first round game at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam, the teams tied 3-3 with Yanga’s striker Ditram Nchimbi scoring a hat-trick on the day for his former team Polisi Tanzania, to cancel out one goal netted by Mrisho Ngasa and a brace by David Molinga.
And, in the 25th minute, Bernard Morrison and Mapinduzi Balama exchanged quick passes but the latter’s cross failed to find a team mate in the box.
Four minutes before the interval, Yanga were ahead, thanks to a clever side looping header by Seif.
It all started from Ditram Nchimbi’s brilliant cross into the area and Morrison’s first touch was superb and his second touch was even better to find Seif in space, who easily beat the goalkeeper at the far post.
Immediately after the break, Seif almost netted the second in the 54th minute, arriving at a well measured ball into the area by central defender, Lamine Moro but his header narrowly missed the target.
In the 65th minute, Morrison attempted to find the top corner at the far post but keeper backtracked to tip his shot out for a corner kick.
Hosts Polisi Tanzania made several changes as they played lungs out in search for an equliser and they thought they have pulled level in the 68th minute but referee controversially ruled out Pato Ngonyani’s goal, adjudging the scorer to have committed a foul before nodding home.
Ngonyani, the former Yanga midfielder reached at Sabilo’s cross at the far post to leap above Jafary Mohamed and headed home clear past Faroukh Shikhalo but it wasn’t clear for referee and it was yet another perplexing decision by match officials.
However, Polisi Tanzania displayed a never say die attitude, as they continued to press and they were rewarded in the 71st minute, when Sabilo rose above defenders to nod home a Kaheza’s corner kick.
Yanga introduced Yikpe Gnamien for Seif and later Abdulaziz Makame came in for Haruna Niyonzima as they pushed for the winner but nothing changed to the final whistle.
At the National Stadium, Meddie Kagere netted a 60th minute penalty to give Simba a hard fought victory over determined Kagera Sugar.
The spot kick was awarded to Simba after goalkeper Benedict Tinoco bundled down goal bound John Bocco. Kegere stepped up and scored. Simba ought to have scored more but missed hosts of chances
