Aziz Ki wins golden boot as Azam FC secure CAF Cup slot
What you need to know:
- Yanga’s Stephane Aziz Ki has won the golden boot award after scoring 21 goals.
Dar es Salaam. Azam Football club have qualified for the second time for the CAF Champions League next season.
On the other hand, Young Africans (Yanga) attacking midfielder Stephane Aziz Ki has won the golden boot award for the 2023/2024 Tanzania Mainland Premier League season.
Another team in the CAF Champions League next season is Young Africans (Yanga) who won 4-1 over Tanzania Prisons yesterday at the Azam Complex.
Azam FC first featured in the CAF Champions League in 2015. Simba, on their part, have qualified for the CAF Confederation Cup, joining Coastal Union of Tanga. Simba were regulars in the CAF Champions League and performed well from the 2018/2019 to the 2023/2024 seasons.
In the 2017/2018 edition, the Msimbazi Street giants were eliminated by Al Masry of Egypt following the away goal rule. Simba recorded 2-2 in the first leg at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam and the second leg ended in a goalless draw in Cairo.
Records show that in the 2021/2022 season, Simba featured in the CAF Confederation Cup’s playoff after being eliminated in the second round of the CAF Champions League as per the body’s rules and regulations.
Yesterday Azam FC recorded a 2-0 victory over Geita Gold FC at the Nyankumbu ground in Geita to collect 69 points that tallied with that of Simba who won 2-0 over JKT Tanzania at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium.
However, the ice-cream makers had the best goal difference advantage when compared to Simba. Azam FC have collected 63 goals and conceded 21 to have an average of 42 while Simba have finished the league with 59 goals and conceded 25 to have an average of 34.
Golden boot award
Yanga’s Stephane Aziz Ki has won the golden boot award after scoring 21 goals.
The Burkinabe attacking fielder had to wait until the last match to win the award following a close battle against Azam FC’s Feisal “Fei Toto” Salum who finished second with 19 goals.
Aziz Ki scored a hat-trick for Yanga in the match against Tanzania Prisons to collect 80 points from 30 matches.
The Burkinabe scored in the 11th minute with a direct free kick following a foul on him just outside the Tanzania Prisons' penalty area.
He then scored the second goal in the 12th minute, finishing a pass from Kennedy Musonda and later in the 80th minute he scored the third goal following a good pass from Clement Mzize. Also, in the score sheet were Kennedy Musonda who scored in the 52nd minute while Tanzania Prisons’ goal was scored by Beno Ngassa in the fifth minute.
With 21 goals, Aziz Ki has tied with Amisi Tambwe who also scored for Yanga in the 2015/2015 season. Yanga’s Mohammed “Mmachinga” Hussein leads the list with 26 goals.
Hussein topped in the 1997 league and followed by Abdallah Juma of Mtibwa Sugar, who scored 25 goals in 2005, Meddie Kagere was with 23 goals in the 2018/2019 season and Kagere again with 22 goals in the 2019/2020 season.
Also, on the list is Emmanuel Okwi who featured for Simba and scored 20 goals in the 2017/2018 season.
Relegation
Mtibwa Sugar with 21 points and Geita Gold FC who collected 25 points have been relegated to the Championship.
The league standings also show that JKT Tanzania and Tabora United will have to face off in a playoff and the loser will be relegated and the winner will face Biashara United from Championship to seek a promotion to the Tanzania Mainland Premier League.
JKT Tanzania were placed in the 13th position with 32 points and Tabora United finished in the 14th position with 27 points.