Yanga close in on league title

KIGOMA: YANGA won 1-0 against Mashujaa FC in a hard fought Premier League match at Lake Tanganyika Stadium in Kigoma on Sunday.

Ivorian professional footballer, Joseph Guédé scored the lone goal in the first half to give Yanga three more points that keep them at the summit of the league with 65 points from 25 games played.

They are now three wins away to clinching the NBC Premier League title. Their closest contenders, Azam and Simba, have 54 and 50 points respectively.

Even if Azam and Simba win all their remaining games, they will only accumulate 72 and 71 points respectively.

This means that Young Africans only require eight points to claim the title. From the beginning, Yanga dominated the game, launching relentless attacks and keeping Mashujaa’s defence under pressure throughout the first half.

Despite Mashujaa’s resilience, Yanga’s persistence paid off in the 41st minute when Joseph Guédé scored a goal after receiving a sublime pass from Mudathir Yahya. Despite falling behind, Mashujaa fought back valiantly, but Yanga’s defence stood firm, thwarting their opponents’ every advance.

As the second half began, Yanga continued to control the pace of the game, holding possession and constantly threatening Mashuja’s goal. However, Mashujaa refused to back down, relying on sporadic counterattacks to try and break through Yanga’s defence.

Despite their efforts, Mashujaa struggled to penetrate Yanga’s solid backline, maintaining less possession throughout the match. As time ran out, both teams pushed forward in search of goals, with Yanga aiming to extend their lead and Mashujaa desperately seeking an equaliser.

Despite several close calls on both ends, neither team managed to find the back of the net, ensuring Yanga’s narrow victory. In terms of discipline, both teams received two yellow cards each, with Yanga committing eight fouls and Mashujaa committing ten fouls throughout the match.

With this hard-fought victory, Yanga strengthen their position in the title race, maintaining their pursuit of the league title. Meanwhile, Mashujaa will be disappointed with the result but can take pride in their resilient performance, looking to bounce back stronger in their upcoming fixtures.

Overall, the match provided an entertaining spectacle for the fans, showcasing the determination and competitive spirit of both teams until the final whistle.