Africa-Press – Tanzania. YOUNG African SC have continued to keep their slim chances of winning the Mainland Premier League title alive, as they beat JKT Tanzania 2-0 at the Jamhuri Stadium in Dodoma yesterday.
First half goals by Yocouba Sogne and Tuisila Kisinda were enough to earn Yanga maximum points as the league title race heads down to wire.
Following the results, Yanga have now tied on 61 points with league leaders and defending champions Simba but the latter have superior goal difference.
Yanga have played 29 matches while Simba have played 25 outings, meaning the Reds have four matches in hand.
Yesterday’s victory broke the series of heartbreaking results for Yanga, as the Jangwani Street lads were held to a barren draw away to Namungo FC at the Kassim Majaliwa Stadium in Ruangwa, Lindi.
Prior to the match against Namungo, Yanga had suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Azam FC at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, complicating their chances of ending a three season wait to win the league title.
The victory yesterday was also the first for newly hired Tunisian tactician Nasreddine Nabi, who took over from Burundian Cedric Kaze.
JKT Tanzania dropped down to 14th place of the log after registering 33 points in 30 games.
JKT Tanzania started brightly and missed a clear chance to score in the 12th minute through Daniel Lyanga, who beat Bakari Mwamyeto and had goalkeeper Metacha Mnata to beat but his shot was palmed away by the goalie for an abortive corner kick.
Yanga took the match lead in 26th minute through Sogne, who nodded home a cross from right wing back Kibwana Shomari, to beat JKT’s goalkeeper Joseph Ilunda at the near post.
While JKT were still asking themselves what happened, Yanga grabbed the second after half an hour mark, when Kisinda was presented with a gift to fire home a shot from outside the box.
Ditram Nchimbi’s otherwise speculative cut back cross sneaked through the legs of three JKT Tanzania defenders and found Kisinda in space to power home.
Few minutes later, Nchimbi nearly put his name on the score sheet but he was denied by the wood work.
In the second half JKT came in a bit rejuvenated and tried to push some attacks to their opponents goal but their effort did not pay off.
Yanga have four games to play before this season comes to a close on July 18th, this year with their final match facing Dodoma Jiji at Jamhuri Stadium in Dodoma.
Other games staged yesterday saw Gwambina FC battling to barren draw with Namungo FC at Gwambina Complex in Misungwi, Mwanza.
Namungo have therefore benefited from those results after taking 10th place of the log after pocketing 37 points in 27 outings, while their opponents Gwambina are 16th with 31 points tied with Ihefu FC but superior in goal difference.
Gwambina and Ihefu both need to work hard to avoid relegation as failure to do better in their remaining encounters will see them demoted from the top flight.
