Yanga beat Pamba Jiji FC to stretch lead to nine points

Dar es Salaam. Defending champions Young Africans (Yanga) tightened their grip at the top of the Mainland Premier League standings after a convincing 3-0 victory over Pamba Jiji FC at CCM Kirumba Stadium yesterday.

Yanga delivered a commanding performance, controlling the tempo from the opening whistle and pinning their hosts deep inside their own half. Their bright start paid off in the eighth minute when Mudathir Yahya opened the scoring with a composed finish after a well-weighted pass from Allan Okello.

The visitors continued to dominate possession, displaying fluid movement and sharp, incisive passing in midfield. Their superiority was evident as they created a series of chances, stretching Pamba Jiji’s defense and forcing them into mistakes.

Mudathir struck again in the 33rd minute, calmly slotting home his second goal of the match after yet another intelligent assist from Okello, who proved to be the creative heartbeat of the team.

Pamba Jiji struggled to cope with Yanga’s pace and attacking combinations, often resorting to clearing their lines under pressure. While they showed moments of resilience, they found it difficult to mount meaningful attacks or test Yanga’s defence.

After the break, Yanga maintained their attacking approach, refusing to ease off despite holding a comfortable lead.

Their persistence was rewarded when Maxi Nzengeli added the third goal, finishing off a well-constructed move that once again involved Okello, who capped an outstanding performance with his third assist of the match.

The result sees Yanga move to 44 points from 18 matches, extending their lead at the top of the table. They are now nine points clear of Simba SC, who have 35 points from 16 matches, while Azam FC sit third with 33 points from 17 games.

Despite the convincing scoreline, Yanga could have registered a bigger win, having created numerous clear-cut chances throughout the encounter.

However, a lack of clinical finishing at times denied them the opportunity to further inflate the score. In the first match played at 2pm, Singida Black Stars secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over KMC FC at the Airtel Stadium in Singida Region. The decisive goal came in the 70th minute through Lamin Jarjou, whose strike ensured all three points for the home side.

The result lifted Singida Black Stars to fifth place on the league table with 28 points from 18 matches, strengthening their push in the mid-table battle. In contrast, KMC continued to struggle at the bottom, remaining on eight points after eight matches, with concerns mounting over their form and ability to climb out of the relegation zone.

League action continues today with two key fixtures scheduled to kick off at 4pm. Simba SC will be away to TRA United at the Sheikh Amri Abeid Stadium in Arusha, while Azam FC travel to the CCM Solkoine Stadium to face Mbeya City FC. Both matches carry significant importance as teams look to improve their positions in the standings. Simba, currently second with 35 points from 16 matches, will be aiming for victory to close the gap on league leaders.