Mrisho Ngassa made his sensational return with a sterling performance as holder Young Africans recovered from their opening Mainland Premier League slump to beat Ruvu Shooting 1-0 at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
Mrisho Ngasa
Ugandan striker, Hamisi Kiiza scored the lone goal in the second half after being set up by the Taifa Stars mercurial winger who dramatically switched from Simba to Yanga at the end of last season.
The victory came as a sigh of relief for Yanga fans, who came into the match fresh from the memories of a 3-2 defeat to last season’s runners-up Azam FC at the same venue on Sunday.
Prior to Saturday’s match, Yanga fans had little to cheer up since the league kicked off on August 24 as they had managed only six points in five matches. Despite the victory, Yanga had to sweat as Ruvu Shooting controlled most part of the first half.
The army men won the midfield battle where Hassan Dilunga was too good for Frank Domayo and Haruna Niyonzima.
There were a couple of misses on either end shortly after the kick off and Yanga launched an early attack when Niyonzima forced himself into the box after 11 minutes but fluffed with a chance.
Earlier on, Yanga survived a scare when central defender Nadir Haroub Ally, was forced to block Elias Maguri shot to a fruitless corner kick. Yanga were the first to win a corner kick after just four minutes but failed to make the most out of the chance.
Despite pushing forward quite often, Ruvu Shooting did not pose threat to the Yanga defence and that meant the latter’s keeper, Ally Mustapha, was hardly troubled between the posts.
The army side had a good chance to test Mustapha in the 40th minute, when Jerome Lambele shot from 25 metres but his attempt went wide.
Yanga also went close twice at the time but Burundian striker, Didier Kavumbagu missed from a sitter after he failed to connect Simon Msuva’s well calculated cross in the 21st minute Kiiza also wasted a glaring chance in the 38th minute when he came face to face with keeper Abdul Seif but failed to score.
Yanga failed to replicate their performance against Azam FC and allowed Ruvu Shooting to dictate the matter, no wonder Dutch coach; Ernie Brandts was forced to make changes after the break, calling in holding midfielder Athumani Iddi alias ‘Chuji’ for Domayo and Yanga started to apply pressure higher up the pitch.
Yanga threatened after two minutes of action when holding midfielder, Idd, floated in a cross form just outside the area on the right but Kavumbagu arrived late in the Ruvu box and missed the ball. Then winger, Simon Msuva drove past Ruvu defence but fluffed with a chance.
The pressure paid off in the 63rd minute, when Ngassa’s cross was well met by Kiiza whose over head kick precisely beat the keeper. Ruvu Shooting pressured during the closing stages, went close on several occasions and forced Yanga into resolute defending.
Kulwa Mfaume nearly pulled level but his shot took a slight deflection off a defender to a corner kick a minute before the final whistle. Substitute midfielder Nizar Khalfan, attempted shot was saved by Ruvu keeper and Yanga eventually won the match.
Following the victory, Yanga have now collected nine points from six matches, the same as Azam, Ruvu Shooting and JKT Ruvu.
Other matches saw Kagera Sugar pip host Rhino Rangers 1-0 at the Ali Hassan Mwinyi Stadium in Tabora, Mbeya City fought to a barren draw with Coastal Union at the Sokoine Memorial Stadium in Mbeya, while Mgambo JKT and JKT Oljoro settled to a 0-0 draw at the Mkwakwani Stadium in Tanga.
On Sunday, league leaders Simba will face second placed JKT Ruvu at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Ashanti United will entertain Mtibwa Sugar at the Azam Complex in Chamazi, Dar es Salaam, while Prisons will take on Azam FC at the Sokoine Memorial Stadium in Mbeya.
Source Tanzania Daily News
