Africa-Press – Tanzania. TEN goals have been netted in the first round of the 2021/22 Premier League season compared to 14 goals scored in the last season’s league openers.
The average score for a match in this season’s openers is 1.3 which is inferior to the average of 1.7 goals attained last season even though the league involved 18 teams.
But the start of the league with inferior number of goals per game indicates either the teams are better in defending or weaker in their striking forces.
None of the 16-teams on the block seems to give up easily before the final whistle is blown to end the match after 90 minutes of play thereby making the exercise of putting the ball behind the net cumbersome. In the just ended round, only two venues Ilulu Stadium in Lindi and Black Rhino Academy venue in Karatu, Arusha produced two goals each compared to the rest of the arenas which had one or no goal at all.
At Ilulu Stadium, hosts Namungo overpowered debutants Geita Gold with a 2-0 victory to make an instant impact in the league and show the public that this time; they mean business and are among the good title contenders. Another venue which enjoyed goals is Black Rhino Academy ground in Arusha where hosts Polisi Tanzania defeated KMC 2-0 in one of the tense league’s opening matches.
This was the first ever Premier League match to be played at the Black Rhino Academy pitch which is one of the best in the country no wonder after the game, Polisi Tanzania attributed their victory to the good arena they played on.
Only one match between Biashara United against reigning champions Simba had no goals at the elapse of normal period of play hence the Karume Stadium in Mara is yet to record goals this season.
It therefore entered in history books for being the only match of the opening week of the new season to end without shaking nets of either sides and it was the only match to produce the first spot kick, which was, however, wasted by Simba’s skipper John Bocco.
At Mkwakwani Stadium in Tanga, a 1-1 scoreline emerged whereby hosts Coastal Union came from behind to equalise late and share spoils with Azam with the latter’s history of failing to win at the venue in recent seasons continuing.
The 1-0 victory was witnessed in three venues of Jamhuri Stadium in Morogoro, Kaitaba Stadium in Kagera and Jamhuri Stadium in Dodoma where nine points were up for a grab.
Debutants Mbeya Kwanza became the first team of the season to collect maximum three points following a 1-0 win over Mtibwa Sugar while in Dodoma hosts Dodoma Jiji smiled to a 1-0 victory over Ruvu Shooting.
The last match of the first round was held at Kaitaba Stadium in Kagera where Young Africans claimed a vital 1-0 away victory over hosts Kagera Sugar in a match whose pressure doubled in the last fifteen minutes as the hosts wanted to flatten the curve.
