Sports | Yanga-Toto African clash tells it all today

THE Mainland Premier League’s title race ends its twohorse race tag today when leaders Young Africans host Toto African at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

The match will push Simba off the title track do Yanga win today in an encounter that will widen Toto African’s door to the relegation. The win will give Yanga the championship hat-trick after winning in two past seasons.

But, if the defending champions fail to beat Toto African today, their chance of winning this year’s title will be minimized, hence forced to try it in Mwanza in their last game against hardfighting Mbao FC.

Prior to today’s encounter Yanga and Simba were running ahead locked at unassailable 65 points, though Yanga were slight ahead in goal average.

But, inferior goal average has been the major obstacle for Simba in most rounds of the league, a situation that favours much their traditional rivals.

Simba, who will be seeking their 3 points from Mwadui in their last game of season, have, however, to wait for today’s match pitting their rivals against relegation-threatened Toto Africa.

Today’s match holds a vital key which will decide who deserves the league title and on the other side, which team should join JKT Ruvu at the relegation hell.

There are indications that Mwanza may lose its both teams next season, unless Mbao FC and Toto Africa win their games against Yanga. The battle to shrug off relegation threat has added three new fighters, who now join Toto and the already relegated JKT Ruvu.

The list of the trio includes Ndanda who have reaped 30 points, Mbao also 30 points and African Lyon who have scrapped 31 points. Majimaji, who struggled at the second bottom of the table for several months climbed up to the 11th position.

Maji Maji with 32 points, Ruvu Shooting and Mbeya City with 33 points are not far from the danger zone since their points can be beaten if Toto Africa, Mbao FC or African Lyon win their last matches.

Yanga went one step closer to sealing the Mainland Premier League title for the 2016/2017 season, after beating Mbeya City 2-1 at the National Stadium in Dar es Salaam yesterday.

Simon Msuva first half strike put Yanga ahead but defender Haruna Shamte pulled level after the restart. However, Zambian striker Aubrey Chirwa grabbed the winner midway in the second half. And it will be a richly deserved title, a third straight, fifth in six years and 26th in the club’s 82-year history.

Msuva’s goal assured of his top position in the golden boot race after collecting 14 goals and he is followed by Ruvu Shooting’s Abdulrahman Mussa and Chirwa tied on 12 goals. The third place is shared by Shiza Kichuya and Mbaraka Yusuf also tied on 11 goals.

The day also witnessed a battle to avoid relegation and struggling Mbao FC continue to slip into the relegation zone after losing 2-1 over Kagera Sugar at the Kaitaba Stadium in Bukoba, Kagera.

Majimaji of Songea managed to slightly crawl away from relegation zone after recording 1-0 win over relegated JKT Ruvu at the Mkwakwani Stadium in Tanga, while Ndanda FC of Mtwara lost 2-1 to Tanzania Prisons at the Sokoine Memorial Stadium in Mbeya, to continue peeing at the grave.

Mtibwa Sugar beat another relegation haunted Mwadui FC from Shinyanga 4-2 at the Manungu grounds in Turiani Morogoro.