AfricaPress-Tanzania: YOUNG Africans stamped a 10-game unbeaten run following their 1-1 draw with Simba in a tense game at Benjamin Mkapa stadium in Dar es Salaam yesterday.
But it was the second draw for the sides as the Premier League penned its 10th round this week. Yanga looked certain to emerge 1-0 victors until the very late minutes when Simba equalised in the 87th minute.
Yanga dominated the game in the first half while Simba took the game in mid second half. Yanga’s failure to beat Simba denied them a chance to reclaim the pilot seat which is now firmly comanded by Azam who have reaped 25 points.
Yanga have remained second with 24 points while Simba also remained third in the league standings with 20 points from 10-game outings.
The absence of their lethal marksmen; Meddie Kagere and Chris Mugalu seemed to continue affecting Simba’s striking force, thus forcing the team to bank much on skipper Rafael Bocco, who, however, was tightly marked yesterday.
Yanga begun the first half with a lot of energy and speed compared to their rivals Simba; evidently with the number of corners they pocketed in five minutes of the first half where Yanga collected three of them though they were not fruitful.
Yanga’s striker Tuisila Kisinda attempted to score in the 14th minute after completing Farid Mussa’s cross, but his efforts ended in the hands of Simba’s goalie Aishi Manula.
Kisinda made another attempt in the 28th minute which was fruitful after Simba’s centreback Joash Onyango rough tackled him inside the box which two minutes later earned Yanga their opening goal.
Ghanaian import Michael Sarpong converted it in the 31st minute. Yanga finished the first half leading 1-0.
A few minutes after the second half, Simba’s skipper John Bocco attempted to level the score with a bullet header, but it was saved by Yanga’s goalie Metacha Mnata.
In the 57th minute Farid Mussa of Yanga wasted a clear chance in front of the Simba’s Manula that would have doubled their lead.
Edging to the dying minutes, Onyango brought joy to Simba after completing heading home Luis Miquissone’s corner kick.
After levelling, Simba fought hard for the winner and in the 90th minute Bocco missed a clear chance finishing Miquissone’s move.
Simba also missed the services of attacking midfielder Bernald Morrison, Gerson Fraga and their two times top scorer Meddie Kagere.
Unexpectedly Chama was expected to miss the important encounter due to an injury he picked in their encounter with Kagera Sugar as it was confirmed by the club’s doctor Yassin Gembe, who said he would possibly be out for more than 14 days, but he appeared on the game.
Fraga has been suffering from a long-term knee injury while Kagere has started light training with the Rwanda national team.
There is also Bernard Morrison who has been denied a chance to face his former employer due to injury and the ban slapped to him by the football governing body (TFF).
