Africa-Press – Tanzania. SINGIDA Black Stars punished Fountain Gate with a narrow yet deserved 1-0 victory in their Tanzania Mainland Premier League clash yesterday at Azam Complex in Dar es Salaam.
The game’s solitary strike arrived in the 63rd minute, when Linda Mtange kept his composure to slot home what ultimately proved the match-winner.
The result lifted Singida to 12 points, level with Fountain Gate, though the sides remain separated by matches played. Singida have featured in just seven fixtures, while Fountain Gate have already played 12. Crucially, the outcome did little to disturb the league standings, with both sides entrenched among the bottom five before kickoff.
Even had Fountain Gate prevailed, the table would have remained largely unaffected. The contest began at a pedestrian tempo. In the opening minute, Horso Malanga attempted an early effort, but goalkeeper Machupa Kapili gathered comfortably to avert danger.
From the outset, Singida looked sharper down the flanks, using the width to probe their opponents’ defence from the early stage of the game. In the 12th minute, Emanuel Keyeke carved out space just outside the 18-yard box before firing wide.
Three minutes later, Offen Chikola delivered a short corner that was swiftly cleared. For much of the first half, Singida dictated proceedings without finding a decisive touch. Chikola’s cross on 21 minutes led to an acrobatic attempt from Mwaku Malanga, though the effort lacked conviction.
Referee Ramadhani Kayoko halted play on 26 minutes for a cooling break due to Dar es Salaam’s oppressive heat, allowing both benches to issue tactical instructions.
Fountain Gate threatened sporadically. Juma Abushiri came close with a rasping drive that skimmed inches over the bar, while a succession of corners on 35 minutes yielded no reward.
Despite sustained pressure between the 36th and 42nd minutes, Singida could not break the deadlock before the interval.
The second half resumed cautiously, with both sides resorting to long balls to bypass midfield congestion. Keyeke remained influential, testing the goalkeeper and whipping in dangerous deliveries.
The breakthrough came in the 63rd minute. A clever V-pass released Mtange, who rounded the advancing goalkeeper before calmly pressing the ball into the net. Singida Black Stars dominated the next quarter-hour and might have doubled their lead, but profligacy and an offside flag denied them.
In the closing stages, they managed possession intelligently, stroking passes around Fountain Gate’s quarter to run down the clock. It was not a classic, but Singida’s discipline and cutting edge proved enough to claim maximum points.
