Israel Saria
Marcio Maximo’s trained Kilimanjaro Stars stormed into the Challenge Cup semifinal after edging tired Eritrea by 4-0 second half goals in a third quarterfinal match played at the Nyayo Stadium here, yesterday.
After barren first half, Stars kicked off the second half with unique vigour as evergreen Mrisho Ngasa attained his hat-trick after team mate John Boko headed home Shadrack Nsajigwa’s curling cross to open the flood gates after 61 minutes.
Ngasa was on target three minutes after Bocco’s opener and he never stopped hunting for two more goals in the 77th and 84th minutes.
As sliperly as an eel, Ngasa tormented te Eritrean defense almost at will to pump in goals in quick succession past perplexed Eritrean players.
Eritrean goalkeeper Yosief Zeratsion and the entire defensive line-up looked exhausted as the match came close to an end.
Stars meet the winner between Rwanda and Zimbabwe in the final quarterfinal match that was still in progress by the time we went to press later yesterday.
Line-ups:
Kilimanjaro Stars: Muharami Mohammed, Shadrack Nsajigwa, Juma Jabu, Kelvin
Yondani, Salum Swedi, Juma Nyoso, Henry Joseph/ Shabani Nditi (60th),
Mrisho Ngassa, Mussa Mgosi/ Ibrahim Mwaipopo (65th), Kigi Makasi/ John
Bocco(46th) and Nurdin Bakari.
Eritrea: Yosief Zeratsion, Abraham Tedros/ Hermon Teklerb (67th), Nevi
Ghebremeskes, Alemayo Ayele, Ermias Wolday, Samuel Ghebrehiwet, Tesfaldet
Goitom/Srafel Tesfamichael (67th), Yohannes Tilahum, Filmon Tseqay and
Yonatan Goitom/Mehari Shinash (53rd).
Our team is well organized and hopefully we are going through into final match but we need to fight hard to overcome Rwandies who is also excellent side.