DETERMINED Young African staged a major second half comeback to earn a 2-2 draw against dominant traditional rivals Simba SC in a cut throat Mainland Premier League match at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam yesterday.
Striker Meddie Kagere struck the first half penalty and Deo Kanda netted the second immediately after the restart but Mapinduzi Balama and Mohamed Hussein own goal almost immediately to pull level.
Regardless, Simba still sit top of the league table with 35 points from 14 matches, while Yanga are ten points behind and they sit fourth on 25 points from 12 outings.
Azam are second on 26 points same as Coastal union on third but they are separated on goal difference.
Azam have played 13 matches compared to Coastal Union’s 15 outings’ When the match did finally get going, Simba started much the brighter side and as usual, they were in control, taking possession and knocking the ball from side to side, while Yanga opted for long balls with Ditram Nchimbi an isolated striker upfront.
Sven Ludwig Vandenbroeck’s side showed determination to win the match from the onset with Clatous Chama, Francis Kahata, Jonas Mkude and Muzamiru Yassin probing from the midfield and the battling efforts saw them creating countless scoring opportunities.
Just two minutes from the kickoff Mkude conceded possession and Ditram Nchimbi latched the ball to set up Banka, whose shot sailed wide.
It was the home side who had the clearer chances with Kagere, Kanda and then Kagere, all going close in the first half-hour. In the 18th minute, Simba missed a double chance.
The first came when Muzamiru Yassin screamer was reflexively tipped off by goalkeeper Faroukh Shikhalo and from a resultant corner kick Shikhalo again was a hero, parrying off Kagere’s shot and Mkude’s follow up shot sailed wide.
Kanda’s well driven shot in the 23rd minute narrowly missed the target with keeper Shikhalo in full stretch. The three minutes later, Kahata picked Kagere with a perfect inch cross but the Rwandese hit man headed wide.
After pressing hard, Simba won a penalty kick in the 38th minute, when Kelvin Yondani appeared to have pulled down Kagere and referee Dionisia Rukyaa pointed to the spot.
Yanga players heavily protested against the decision, arguing that the foul happened outside the box.
After some minutes of heated debate, Kagere stepped up and sent keeper Shikhalo a wrong way for Simba’s opener. After conceding, Yanga stepped up their game and pushed for an equaliser.
Kagere was temporary stretched out after picking a shoulder injury in a penalty win battle with Yondani but after treatment he returned to the fray.
Immediately after the restart, it was 2-0 up for Simba and it looked to be the end of the battle of these Mainland heavyweights.
Congolese import Kanda latched on to a back heel pass from Kagere just outside the area and blasted his shot into the Yanga net to end any realistic hope the Jangwani street side to have harboured of turning round this tense clash.
It started from a slick movement and Shomari Kapombe raced down the right side and his cross found Kagere in space to set up Kanda.
However, the Congolese picked the injury in the process and he was replaced by Hassan Dilunga.
With Simba sitting on their two-goal advantage and seeing their destiny to victory is clear, they slightly pulled their legs off gas but Yanga refused to die.
Charles Boniface Mkwasa charges deservedly scored quick fire goals, which came as a bit of tough luck combined with determination.
After poking the ball from the midfield, Balama caught Aishi Manula with a blistering shot in the 50th minute. The diminutive midfielder won the ball in the midfield and precisely beat Manula with a fierce shot.
In a dramatic fashion, Yanga pulled level three minutes later, when Mohammed Hussein scored an own goal under pressure from Banka, off a long cross in from Adeyum Ahmed Saleh.
After pulling level, Yanga were the better side and pressed for more goals. Yanga made changes with the introduction of Yikpe Gnamien for Abdulaziz Makame in the 62nd minute.
Then Andrew Vincent replaced Adeyum, before Deus Kaseke came in for Banka.
Simba also brought in skipper John Bocco for Kagere and in the 73rd minute Kaseke almost replicated Balama’s instinct with Manula slightly off his line but his shot sailed wide.
