Yanga SC secured a crucial 3-2 win over Ruvu Shooting to sustain their slim chances of winning the Tanzania Mainland League title.
Feisal Salum – who scored a brace, and Saidi Ntibazonkiza scored for Timu ya Wananchi with Emmanuel Martin and David Richard scoring for the hosts at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Thursday evening.
The visitors were aware that they needed maximum points to sustain their slim hopes of winning the league title this season.
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Wananchi started the game on a high, trying to get an early goal to destabilize their hosts. Having won the first leg 2-1, the 27-time champions came into the match as favourites.
Timu ya Wananchi had to wait until the 23rd minute; the administrative side failed to clear the ball from their danger zone and it eventually fell to Fiston Abdul Razak who did well to set Salum. The Taifa Star then curled the ball from 20-yards to give his team a deserved lead.
The second goal for Wananchi came in the 32nd minute. A poor pass was intercepted by Deus Kaseke who set his teammate, and the attacking midfielder kept his cool to complete his brace, which is his third goal in the league this season.
Martin reduced the deficit in the 70th minute as the Jangwani Street-based charges relaxed but Ntibazonkiza restored a two-goal advantage 10 minutes later.
In the 82nd minute, Richard scored to set a tense finale but Yanga held on to get the crucial win.
Meanwhile, debutants Dodoma Jiji made it to the top five on the table after defeating Kinondoni Municipal Council (KMC) by a solitary goal.
The lone goal for the hosts came at the stroke of half-time courtesy of Yanga target Dickson Ambundo. The striker received a pass from the left and despite being surrounded by defenders, he managed to hit the target.
Mtibwa Sugar also went on to defeat their hosts Mwadui 3-1. The Sugar Millers were the first to score through Salum Kihimbwa in the 22nd minute, but Amri Msinda equalized matters 10 minutes after the second half. Kelvin Sabato scored his fifth of the season when he found the back of the net in the 77th minute.
George Makang’a scored the third for Mtibwa in the stoppages.
Ruvu Shooting XI: Bidii Hussein, Nathaniel Chilambo, Eradius Salvator, CassianPonera, Santos Mazengo, Zuberi Dabi, Mohamed Issa, Shaban Msala, Fully Zully Maganga, David Uromi, James Msuva
Subs: Fadhil Duma, William Patrick, Renatus Ambros, Kelvin Matipani, Mosses Shaban, Frank Ikobela, Emmanuel Martin
Yanga SC XI: Metacha Mnata, Kibwana Shomari, Adeyum Saleh, Dickson Job, Bakari Mwamnyeto, Mukoko Tonombe, Deus Kaseke, Zawadi Mauya, Fiston Abdul Razak, Faisal Salum, Farid Mussa
Subs: Faruk Shikhalo, Paulo Godfrey, Said Juma, Haruna Niyonzima, Waziri Junior, Tuisila Kisinda, Saidi Ntibazonkiza
