Former Young Africans (Yanga SC) defender Oscar Joshua says he’ll be a happy man if Simba SC striker Meddie Kagere is beaten to the Mainland Premier League Golden Boot this season.
Since notching 24 goals, the Rwandan striker won the gong last season and he is currently leading the chase to win it twice in a row having already scored 19 goals this year.
With the league set to resume after it was halted in mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic, Kagere has a good chance of claiming the award with only nine rounds of matches remaining until the season’s end.
Joshua has now challenged other top-flight strikers, led by Reliants Lusanjo, Paul Nonga, and Yusuph Mhilu, to make sure they get up against Kagere and beat him to the crown.
Both Kagere Sugar’s Lusajo and Mhilu scored 11 goals while Lipuli FC’s Nonga managed 10 goals.
“First Emmanuel Okwi took the Golden Boot and then came Kagere and won the award last season, and still it seems Kagere will do it again this season,” Joshua is quoted by MwanaSpoti.
“But I have a feeling that we have Nonga, Lusanjo, and Mhilu who can also challenge for the gong and I want to urge them to make sure they don’t allow Kagere to win the award again, nine matches are enough to give them the award.
“I watch the three players before the league took a break and they were really a joy to watch, they were pushing him [Kagere] hard and I know when the league resumes, they will continue from where they had left.”
On the resumption of the league, after President John Pombe Magufuli gave it the green light, Joshua said: “That is what every Tanzanian was waiting for, to have the action back and we are glad now we can follow the game we love again.
“I know most players are burning with ambitions to prove themselves after the break and thus we are in for an entertaining run. It will be a tough race to the end but we hope to see good football.”
Simba are chasing a third straight title as they sit top of the table on 71 points, 17 points ahead of Azam FC in second while Yanga are third, three further points behind.