Mbeya City striker Mwagane Yeya (left) battles for the ball with JKT Ruvu defender, Omary Mtaki during their Mainland Premier League match at Azam Complex in Chamazi, Dar es Salaam. Mbeya City won 2-0. (Photo by Mohamed Mambo)
Source : by SUNDAY NEWS Reporter
STRIKER Jerryson Tegete was awarded a rare start and repaid Dutch coach Hans Ver Pluijm with a brace as defending champions Young Africans recovered to keep their title defence alive, after thrashing Rhino Rangers 3-0 in the Mainland Premier League match on Saturday.
The other goal for Yanga was netted by another bench warmer—Hussein Javu at the Ali Hassan Mwinyi Stadium in Tabora as the Jangwani Street side are striving to keep pace with league leaders Azam.
Following the victory, Yanga moved within a point below run away leaders Azam FC on 43 points from 20 matches. Azam are enjoying the driver’s seat on 44 points from the same numbers of matches.
Pluijm made changes in the starting line up with Mrisho Ngassa and Tegete starting as central strikers while Emmanuel Okwi and Simon Msuva were operating from the flanks.
Yanga who arrived in Tabora on Thursday night with 19 players ready for the encounter were without first choice goalkeeper - Deogratius Munishi and Burundian striker, Didier Kavumbagu who are nursing injuries, according to the club’s spokesperson, Baraka Kizuguto.
Rwandan defender Mbuyu Twite also missed the match because he has yet to regain full fitness.
Tegete opened the scoring after half an hour mark with a blistering shot outside the 18 yards pouncing on drop ball by goalkeeper Charles Mpinuki from an initial Hassan Dilunga’s shot.
Dilunga was a constant threat to the host defence and he shot against the bar twice in the 20th and 26th minutes. Rhino rangers threatened in different occasion as keeper Juma Kaseja was forced to come off his line to clear the danger in the dying minutes of the first half.
After the break, Yanga maintained the pressure and Tegete netted the second in the 67th minute following a goal mouth melee before Javu who came from the bench to replace Tegete wrapped up the score in the 90th minute, finishing off Okwi’s spade work.
The defeat left Rhino Rangers glued bottom of the table with 13 points from 22 matches and with four matches remaining only miracles will spare them from the relegation.
Other title challengers Mbeya City beat JKT Ruvu 2-0 at the Azam Complex in Chamazi, Dar es Salaam. Saad Kipanga scored a goal in each half as the Mbeya lads maintained their push for a place in the CAF club competitions.
Despite the victory, Mbeya City remained third in the table on 42 points from 22 matches. They have four matches to go.
The league will continue on Monday with Simba SC who are enduring uncharacteristic poor campaign for the second season in a row, will be at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam to face tricky test against Coastal Union.
The Msimbazi Reds are placed fourth in the table on 36 points from 21 matches, meaning Simba are almost out of the picture from the title race or even winning a place in the next season’s CAF club championships.
Azam will be out to regain their four point lead when they face Arusha’s JKT Oljoro at the Azam Complex in Chamazi, Dar es Salaam this evening. Azam received a timely boost with the return of their key players’ defender Aggrey Morris and Ugandan striker, Brian Umony.
Umony was expected to be available for the Wednesday’s match against Yanga which ended in a 1-1 draw, but was ruled out unfit at the eleventh hour.
Cameroonian coach Joseph Omog will, however, be without full back Erasto Nyoni, who was red carded in the match against Yanga.
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