Yanga open 4-point lead

Young Africans

Young Africans have opened a four-point lead in the Mainland soccer premiership after winning by 2-0 goals over visiting Kagera Sugar in a violence-marred match played at the Jamhuri Stadium here, yesterday.

Nevertheless the winner takes all as Yanga scored once in each half through Jerry Tegete and Ghanaian Ernest Boakye to wrap up their fifth win of the season and stay comfortably at the helm of the standings with 13 points to their credit.

Tegete scored after connecting home a pass off midfielder Athumani Idd in circumstances Kagera Sugar defenders misjudged the scorer for an offside after 35 minutes.

The goal sparked a wave of complaints from the visitors who mobbed referee Leonard Swai from Arusha. The match came to a brief stall as Kagera Sugar bitterly disputed the ruling while Yanga players collected the ball for replay at the centre of the field.

Gaudence Mwaikimba, Paul Ngwai and George Kavila co-ordinated well but poor finishing spoiled their otherwise good intentions to score.

After ten minutes, the teams progressed into the dressing rooms with Yanga relishing the lone goal lead.

The second half kicked off with Kagera Sugar searching for an equaliser as Yanga defenders stood firm to thwart their opponent’s raids.

Mwaikimba who featured for Yanga in the past came close to pull an equaliser with five minutes to time, only to shoot wide. Nsa Job would have scored an undisputed goal in the 90th minute but failed much to the amazement of spectators.

It looked as if the match would have ended with Tegete’s goal separating the two sides only for the Ghanaian to prove the spectators wrong.

Yanga’s new sign-up Job was brought down just outside Kagera Sugar’s 18 yard box for the referee to point a direct kick.

Kagera were victims of the dead-ball as Boakye’s goal-bound shot sailed straight into the net deep into stoppage time to give Yanga the two-goal victory.

The visitor’s Ugandan coach Jackson Mayanja expressed his dissatisfaction over what he termed as biased officiating by referee Swai. Mayanja said his team were robbed of victory in a broad day light as Yanga were allegedly highly favoured to win.

The match ended with violence as Kagera Sugar’s spokesman Mohamed Hussein is alleged to have head-booted Yanga’s Serbian coach Kostadin Papic as he pretended to greet him. Papic responded by throwing a bottled water as chaos erupted during end of the match.

Yanga coach said he would protest over the violence to the Tanzania Football Federation over the assault by Kagera Sugar’s official.

The league continues today with Kagera Sugar meeting JKT Ruvu at the same venue.

Line-ups:

Yanga:

Yaw Berko, Shadrack Nsajigwa, Stephano Mwasika, Isaack Boakye, Nadir Haroub, Ernest Boakye, Athumani idd, Nurdin Bakari, Jery tegete, Nsa Job, Yahya Tumbo,

Kagera Sugar:

Kalwesubula Hannington, Ruharara Muganyizi, Savis Charles, Said Murad, Tonny Ndolo, Sunday Fran Benjamin Asukile, George Kavishe, Said Dilunga and Gaudence Mwaikimba.