YOUNG Africans have set date with Gwambina FC in the last 16 match of Azam Sports Federation Cup (ASFC) after crushing out Tanzania Prisons 2-0 at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam yesterday.
Gwambina, who trade in the First Division League (FDL), defeated Ruvu Shooting 7-6 in the post match penalty shootouts after the 1-1 draw in normal period on Saturday.
The two teams will meet in a match that will decide who deserve to play in the ASFC quarter final stage. The winner of the tournament will earn a ticket to represent the country in the CAF Confederation Cup.
The former holders of the title Mtibwa Sugar were eliminated after losing 3-2 on penalties to Tangabased Sahare All Stars. The two sides played to a 1-1 draw in the 90 minutes.
It was the newly signed Ghanaian midfielder Bernard Morrison who scored from a spot kick in the 10th minute while substitute Yikpe Gislain netted in the second in the 63rd minute to enable the Jangwani Street side cruise into the best sixteen stage.
It was the second goal for Gislain, who netted his first goal when Yanga pounded Singida United 3-1 at Liti Stadium in Singida during the Vodacom Premier League match.
It was the first goal for Morrison, who had a sparkling match on the day with his new team and had to be stretched off the pitch in the 90+2 minutes after picking a knock, and was replaced by Feisal Salum who finished the remaining minutes.
However, despite Yanga taking an early lead, Tanzania Prisons kept on pushing more men upfront hoping to equalise before the half-time whistle, but most of their attempts went far away from the target.
The visitor’s best chance came in the 35th minute courtesy of a long-range drive by Salum Kimenya that hit the cross bar to the relief of the hosts as goalkeeper Metacha Mnata was already well- beaten.
Congolese striker David Molinga was on the verge to add a second goal in the closing stages of the first half when he composed himself inside the penalty box, getting the better of three Tanzania Prisons defenders, but his final shot was well blocked by Prison’s goalie Jeremia Kisubi.
As the two teams went for break, Yanga had more shots on target, four against two shots by the visitors. Yanga Head Coach Luc Eymael was the first to make substitution in the 67th minute, bringing on Gislain for injured Molinga, the change which paid off for the club.
Tanzania Prisons reinforced their squad in the 67th minute when Salum Kimenya, who had a good opening half, was benched for Samson Mbangula before making another substitution in the 88th minute when Cleophace Mkandala was introduced for Azizi Ismael.
Still, despite making a couple of changes, the Mbeya region-based club could not manage to get equaliser until the end of the game. It was the second meeting between the two teams in separate competitions with Yanga emerging winners in both games.
They first won 1-0 at Samora Stadium in Iringa in the VPL encounter that ended then Tanzania Prison’s unbeaten league run.
