A LAST-MINUTE own goal by Kelvin Kijili sealed a dramatic 1-0 victory for Young Africans (Yanga) over arch-rivals Simba SC in the highly anticipated Dar es Salaam Derby at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Saturday.

The intense encounter, which lived up to expectations, was decided by an unfortunate moment for Simba, with Kijili’s attempt to clear a dangerous ball leading to his own goal.

The decisive moment came in the 86th minute when Clatous Chama’s powerful free kick caused chaos in the Simba box. Goalkeeper Moussa Camara struggled to clear the ball, which rebounded in front of Young Africans’ Max Nzengeli. Kijili, trying to avert the danger, accidentally directed the ball into his own net, leaving Simba fans in shock.

The goal sparked wild celebrations from Young Africans’ supporters, as their team moved to second place in the NBC Premier League standings with 15 points, extending their unbeaten run to five matches. 

Simba, on the other hand, suffered their first defeat of the season, dropping to fourth place with 13 points.

Young Africans’ head coach Miguel Gamondi, now with a perfect record in the Dar es Salaam derbies, secured his third consecutive league win over Simba since taking charge last season. After the match, Gamondi expressed his delight but emphasized that the victory was for the fans.

“We are very happy, but this victory is for the Young Africans fans. They deserve this joy. I want to congratulate my players; they were fantastic today, following the game plan perfectly,” said Gamondi in his post-match interview.

Reflecting on the match, Gamondi acknowledged Simba’s strong start but praised his players for adapting well. 

“We knew Simba would come out aggressively in the first 15-20 minutes, and they did create some chances. But we settled and played well,” he added.

Gamondi pointed out that his team improved in the second half, creating more chances and executing their strategy. “It was a close match, but derbies are often decided by a single moment, and today we took that moment.”

He also commended Simba’s tactical improvement under head coach Fadlu Davids. “Simba have improved tactically, and it was a fantastic derby. I congratulated Coach Fadlu because it’s great to have high-level derbies in Tanzania.”

For Simba, the loss marked their first setback of the season after six matches. Despite dominating early spells and creating chances, they failed to break down Young Africans’ defense.

One of Simba’s best chances came in the sixth minute when winger Joshua Mutale set up Leonel Ateba. However, Young Africans’ goalkeeper Djigui Diara made an impressive double save to deny them the lead.

Young Africans grew stronger as the game progressed, with Pacome Zouzoua’s set-piece delivery in the 20th minute giving Prince Dube a header chance that was spectacularly saved by Camara. Nzengeli then squandered a follow-up opportunity by blasting the ball over the crossbar.

Simba continued to threaten, but Young Africans’ defense held firm. In the 41st minute, Pacome beat several Simba defenders and set up Aziz Ki, but Camara again made a crucial save to keep the game level.

With the victory, Young Africans sit second in the table with 15 points from five matches, just one point behind leaders Singida Black Stars, who have played six matches. 

Young Africans’ upcoming fixtures include home games against JKT Tanzania, followed by trips to Coastal Union and Singida Black Stars before a crucial home clash with Azam FC.

Simba, now in fourth place with 13 points, will aim to bounce back with fixtures against Tanzania Prisons, Namungo FC, JKT Tanzania, and Mashujaa FC.

As the NBC Premier League heats up, both Young Africans and Simba remain in the title race, with 25 matches left to play. Gamondi, however, remains focused on the long-term challenge ahead.