Failing to score within 90 minutes is not usually a disaster for any striker, even for the caliber of Yanga FC marksman Fiston Mayele but in doing so during the midweek clash of the Tanzania Mainland Premier League against Singida Big Stars at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, the Citizens maestro passed on unwanted personal milestone.
Going into the game, Mayele had not scored a goal in his previous seven matches, one of the longest goal drought of his club career.
But Mayele surpassed that total after Singida kept him at bay on Thursday until the 16th minute when the Congolese striker broke the deadlock and headed home after being set by Jesus Moloko to inspire Yanga to a 4-1 victory.
Mayele’s second effort came in the 26th minute after he got a through pass from Faisal Salum and unleashed a powerful strike outside the box that caught the goal keeper napping.
Two minutes after the restart, Kibwana Shomari added salt into the injury in when he easily completed a clever pass from Mayele to make it 3-0.
Mayele scored the fourth for Yanga in the 56th minute with Lomalisa providing an assist to help the side what become the eighth win of the season.
Singida Big Stars struggled to break down the home side who were better side for the match. The Brazilians fought back in the 66th minute through Media Kagere for a 4-1 score line at the end of the match.
The former AS Vita striker has since revealed he was delighted to get regain his scoring boots and promised to score more goals now that the gates are opened.
“Of course as a striker when you go into games your main aim is to score goals but at the end of the day in football, there are moments where you will have a goal drought and you cannot find the back of the net again,” Mayele told reporters after the match.
“But of course it is a good feeling to get my scoring boots back again and I know now the gates are open and it is going to be a different ball game altogether and today [Thursday] I scored three goals and I am looking forward to the upcoming games.”
Yanga, now with 26 after 10 matches, moved up the ladder and are on the top of the table while Singida Big Stars dropped to the 5th spot with 18 points.
