Dar es Salaam. Yanga played to a 0-0 draw against JKT Tanzania on Monday, February 10, 2025, in a crucial Tanzanian Premier League match at Major General Isamuhyo Stadium in Mbweni.
This result puts Yanga’s position at the top of the table under threat, as Simba is set to face Tanzania Prisons on Tuesday evening.
If Simba win, they will leapfrog Yanga, moving up to 47 points, while Yanga will remain at 46 points after 18 matches.
Monday’s match marks the second consecutive draw for Yanga against JKT at this stadium, with the same 0-0 scoreline from last season.
That match also ended with Yanga earning just one point, allowing coach Miloud Hamdi to start his tenure with the club on a similar note.
Both teams were well-organized by their coaches, Ahmad Ally for JKT and Miloud Hamdi for Yanga.
Yanga began the match aggressively, but despite creating several opportunities, they couldn’t break down JKT’s defense, mainly thanks to the exceptional goalkeeping of Yakubu Suleiman.
The JKT team showed excellent discipline throughout the match, particularly in defense, where they frustrated Yanga’s attackers, Prince Dube and Clement Mzize.
Wilson Nangu, JKT’s central defender, was named the “Man of the Match” after a commanding performance that kept Yanga’s forwards at bay.
Despite it being his first season in the Premier League after moving from TMA in the Championship League, Nangu handled the pressure with ease and showed his ability to compete at the highest level.
Alongside him, captain Edson Katanga and goalkeeper Yakubu played vital roles in thwarting any attacking threats from Yanga.
Coach Hamdi, who was in charge of Yanga for the first time in a league match since his appointment on February 4, 2025, saw his tactical plans fail to produce the desired results.
Yanga’s efforts, led by Dube and Mzize, were consistently denied by JKT’s well-organized defense, with Yakubu saving several crucial attempts.
Despite making a tactical change in the second half, replacing Clatous Chama with Stephane Aziz Ki, Yanga couldn’t find the breakthrough they needed.
Aziz Ki, who had made headlines before the match due to rumors linking him to model Hamisa Mobetto, couldn’t help alter the course of the match, and the game ended in a goalless draw.
JKT Tanzania have proven difficult to beat at home this season.
With three wins and five draws, they have scored seven goals and conceded just three.
Their defensive organization has been impressive, as they have kept six clean sheets so far.
This match extended their unbeaten run at home, and Yanga’s hopes of maintaining their perfect away record came to an end.
They had previously won all seven away matches this season, scoring 12 goals and conceding none, while also keeping seven clean sheets.
The last time the duo met at Major General Isamuhyo Stadium was on April 24, 2024, and the match ended in another 0-0 draw.
In the last six encounters, JKT have failed to score against Yanga, with their last goal coming in a 1-1 draw on June 17, 2020.
Monday’s match was physical, with a total of 20 fouls in the first half.
Despite the rough play, referee Ahmed Arajiga didn’t issue any yellow cards in the first 45 minutes.
One key moment was when JKT defenders were all over Dube, forcing him to change his jersey in the 8th minute after it was torn.
In the second half, Arajiga became stricter, showing yellow cards to four players in the first 25 minutes: Salum Khamis Salum, Hassan Maulid Nassoro, and Wilson Nangu of JKT, as well as Kennedy Musonda of Yanga.
Stephane Aziz Ki, who had generated a lot of attention before the match due to the rumors about his relationship with Mobetto, came on in the second half, but his presence was not enough to change the outcome.
Despite his efforts, the match ended in a goalless draw, leaving Yanga with only one point to show for their efforts.
The draw has now increased the pressure on Yanga to maintain their lead in the race for the title.
They will be hoping for Simba to drop points against Tanzania Prisons, as a win for Simba would push them to the top by just one point.
