Azam lose ground in title race

AZAM’s hopes of winning its second Mainland Premier League title suffered another blow yesterday after they were forced to a 2-2 draw by Mtwara’s Ndanda FC at the Azam Complex in Chamazi, Dar es Salaam.

It was Azam’s second consecutive draw after faltering to a 1-1 draw against Toto Africans at the CCM Kirumba Stadium in Mwanza on Sunday. A dying minute own goal by Aggrey Morris dealt the East African Champions a major blow yesterday.

The ‘ice cream makers’ were leading 2-0 at half time, courtesy of goals from Ramadhani Singano and Didier Kavumbagu before Atupele Green reducing the margin in the second half.

It means, Azam remain third on the log with 52 points from 23 outings, five points behind leaders, Simba and one below second placed and defending champions, Young Africans. Simba, however, have played 24 matches, while Yanga have played 22 times so far.

Despite the latest set back, Azam are still very much alive in the title race, with seven matches to go. Any slip up by Simba and Yanga in this three-horse race will give Stewart Halls’s men their second league title. Azam were in command of the game from the word go as their opponents looked shadow of themselves.

The hosts’ midfielders Salum Aboubakar and Michael Balou were in command of the midfield and managed to create host of chances.

Azam took the lead in the 16th minute when Balou’s long penetration pass from the midfield met Singano outside the penalty box.

The former Simba forward charged into the box before releasing a thunderbolt, which sailed straight into the back of the net, leaving goalkeeper, Jeremiah Gisubi, diving in vain to stop the shot. With two minutes remaining before the interval, Azam doubled the lead with an excellent finish from Kavumbagu.

The Burundian striker’s overhead kick from a close range precisely beat the keeper, completing a job well done by Waziri Salum from the left.

Before setting up the scorer, Salum was put through by Aboubakar from the midfield and he drove into the box before releasing a shot which was initially blocked by the keeper but the ball fell on Kavumbagu’s path.

After the break, Ndanda came in a bit stronger and managed to reduce the margin in the 50th minute through a spot kick. Referee Hamada Simba, pointed to the spot after goal bound Paul Ngalema, was brought down by goalkeeper Aishi Manula. Green stepped up and sent Manula the wrong side. The goal came as a wake up call for Ndanda, who piled more pressure on their host’s goal.

They created several chances for an equaliser but unfortunately failed to turn them into goals. Ndanda’s best chances came in the 56th minute, when Omar Mponda failed to put the ball into the net after taking a tumble.

Another chance was in 68th minute, when Salum Mneli to a surprise of many, failed to connect home a good cross from his captain Kigi Makasi and the ball strolled out unattended.

Azam playing without some of their key players including Captain John Bocco, inform defender Shomari Kapombe and Farid Mussa, failed to maintain their good football they displayed in the first half, giving their opponent space to take charge of the game.

In the 84th minute, Manula made superb save to deny hard fighting Ndanda an equaliser. That was not enough as the Mtwara lads managed to put the ball into the net. Effort by Aziz Sibo saw Morris deflecting the ball into his own net.