Dar es Salaam. Zimbabwean striker Prince Dube emerged as the hero for Young Africans (Yanga) after scoring a hat-trick to secure a 3-2 victory against Mashujaa FC in their ongoing Mainland Tanzania Premier League match at the KMC Complex today on December 19, 2024.
This is the first hat-trick in the Mainland Tanzania Premier League since the league started on August 16 this year.
Dube, who joined Yanga this season after transferring from Azam FC, scored his first goal in the 7th minute after being set up by Pacome Zouzoua.
He added the second goal in the 21st minute following a precise pass from Clement Mzize. The Zimbabwean completed his hat-trick in the 52nd minute with an assist from Kibwana Shomari.
Mashujaa FC's goals were scored by David Olomi and Idrisa Stambuli in the 45th and 62nd minutes, respectively, with powerful shots that beat Yanga’s goalkeeper, Khomeini Abubakar.
The result places Yanga third in the league standings with 30 points from 12 matches, one point behind second-placed Simba, who have 31 points.
Azam FC remain at the top with 33 points from 15 matches.
Yanga’s head coach, Sead Ramovic, praised his players for their performance while admitting the tough nature of the match.
“We played well despite conceding two goals. We are improving steadily and are confident of reaching peak form to defend the league title,” said Ramovic.
Mashujaa FC’s head coach, Abdallah Bares, admitted the defeat, attributing it to a lack of concentration and mistakes that allowed Yanga to score and win the match.
The league continues tomorrow, December 20, 2024 with Namungo FC hosting JKT Tanzania at the Majaliwa Stadium in Lindi at 7pm.
The match is expected to be thrilling as both teams aim to improve their positions in the league standings.
Namungo FC currently sits 12th with 13 points from 14 matches, while JKT Tanzania is 8th with 18 points from 13 matches.
Namungo FC head coach, Juma Mgunda, expressed confidence in his team’s readiness, emphasising their commitment to achieving the best results.
“We aim for a home victory despite playing against a strong team. We have trained well, and I trust my players' dedication,” said Mgunda.
JKT Tanzania’s head coach, Hamad Ally, also predicted a tough encounter but remained optimistic about achieving positive results.
“We expect a challenging match, but we are prepared to give our best,” said Ally.
