Azam FC 2-1 KMC FC: Ice-cream Makers keep title dreams alive with late Morris strike
The veteran Taifa Stars defender rose to the occasion to snatch maximum points for the ‘Ice-cream Makers’ in the home tie
Azam FC needed a stoppage-time goal from captain Aggrey Morris to beat KMC FC 2-1 in a Mainland Premier League match at Azam Complex Stadium on Saturday.
The Ice-cream Makers took a deserved lead in the 11th minute when their top scorer Prince Dube scored the opener but KMC leveled matters in the 41st minute courtesy of Abdul Hillary.
With the game heading to a draw, Morris snatched the win in the three minutes of added time after he rose the highest to power home a corner kick and send the fans at Chamazi Stadium into a frenzy.
Azam came into the match sitting in third position in the 18-team table and they also knew second-placed Yanga SC had dropped points in the earlier match as they had settled to a 0-0 draw against Namungo FC, and so they went searching for the early goal against the visitors.
It took them only five minutes to test the KMC keeper as Dube combined well with Salum Abubakar, but the Zimbabwean striker hit a low-footed effort which was easily dealt with.
But in the 11th minute, Dube did not make any mistake as he received a through ball from Abubakar after a counter-attack, side-stepped one KMC defender before placing the ball to the right side of the net.
Azam continued to press for a second goal but KMC's defence remained tight at the back and in the 41st minute, they were level after Hillary powered home using his left leg to beat goalkeeper Mathias Kigonya all the way to the net.
The winning goal for Azam then arrived in the 93rd minute when captain Morris headed home a corner kick to help the Ice-cream Makers remain in contention for the title as they now have 57 points from 29 matches, one less than second-placed Yanga, and four fewer than table-toppers Simba SC.
In the earlier contest, Yanga suffered a blow in their quest to challenge for the title after playing to a 0-0 draw with Namungo at Majaliwa Stadium in Ruangwa.
In another game played on Saturday, Mtibwa Sugar defeated Tanzania Prisons by a solitary goal to move 14th on the table with 31 points. The lone goal was scored by Salum Kihimbwa in the fifth minute.