Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam)
17 March 2011
AS the Mainland Premier League season edges closer to its climax, the race for the ‘Golden Boot’ is getting hotter, with Azam FC’s striker Mrisho Ngasa and Kagera Sugar goal machine Gaudance Mwaikimba battling toe-to-toe in the hunt for highest goal scorer’s award.
Mwaikimba reignited the race for the ‘golden boot’ after helping himself with one goal in Kagera Sugar’s 2-1 win over Majimaji on Wednesday to take his league goal tally to thirteen goals.
He has moved joint top scorer with Ngasa. They are both clearly above the rest, having scored four times more as the third highest scorer.
With only three matches remaining to wind up the current league season, it is very unlikely that anyone else will catch them, particularly if they can continue this form for the few remaining games.
It will be very interesting to see which striker comes out on top between the diminutive free-scoring Ngasa and the towering goal poacher Mwaikimba and with a few games remaining for each team, it is difficult to predict who will finish up the race on top.
Mwaikimba, who had a stint with Prisons before joining Kagera Sugar, has transformed his career and is enjoying a very successful spell with the Bukoka-based Sugar producers. It is no wonder that he is now in a battle with his ex-Yanga companion Ngasa to finish as the Premier League’s top scorer this year.
Despite being overlooked by national team coach Jan Poulsen for Taifa Stars’ next Afcon qualifier, the fact that he is up there is a credit to the progress he has made since he was dropped by the Jangwani Street outfit.
Ngasa, the 2009/10 best player and currently the most expensive player in local football scenes, who crossed over from Yanga to Azam for a record 58m/- transfer fee, looks favourite to scoop the top scorer’s award, as he has three appearances to make before the curtain for the premiership season closes down as compared to Mwaikimba’s two.
However, the duo will need to make the most of their chances to beat the 18 premiership goals record set by Kenyan Boniface Ambani three seasons ago and duplicated by Simba striker Musa Hassan ‘Mgosi’ last season.
John Bocco has appeared to be another Azam FC’s best scorer this season. The lofty youthful forward has scored nine goals the Ice-Cream and is third in the Premier League’s standings for the top scorers.
Mgosi has been a little rusty this season and is sitting in fourth position with eight goals, one goal above teammate Rashid Gumbo and Yanga hitman Jerryson Tegete.
Having launched his Simba career only in January, Mbwana Samata has been progressing very rapidly in the standings for the goal scorers and has scored six league goals in eight games he has featured for the Reds from the Msimbazi Street.
The same could be said for Yanga’s Zambian striker Davis Mwape, with six strikes from as many games. The former Kaizer Chiefs front striker joined Yanga during the mini-transfer window last November.
League leaders Simba and third-placed Azam FC boast of the most powerful striking force in the league after scoring the most goals.
Both have found the net 35 times in 19 games they have played so far, an average of 1.8 goals per game. And Simba has conceded 15 goals, Azam have let in 14 goals. Second-placed Yanga are outright favourites for the best defence awards.
The Jangwani Street outfit has conceded only five goals in 19 outings, while scoring 24 and average of 0.26 goals against and 1.26 goals for.
Bottom-side AFC have the worst defensive record in the league this season after conceding 40 goals in 20 games, an average of 2 goals per game.
Majimaji and Polisi have scored the least goals this season with eleven each from 20 games.
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