THE race for the 2023/24 NBC Premier League season top goal scorer award is gathering momentum as the campaign enters the homestretch.

With just seven rounds of games left to play, Young Africans SC attacking midfielder Stephane Aziz Ki now leads the way in the race for the Premier League top scorer, overtaking his closest challenger, Feisal Salum Abdallah ‘Fei Toto’ of Azam FC.

Ki has had a lethal season in front of goal for Young Africans SC, alias Yanga, with the midfielder now boasting 14 goals so far this season.

He picked up the NBC Premier League Player of the Month award in March for his invaluable contributions to Yanga's title march.

The Burkinabe sparkled throughout March with three goals and assisting a further four in the four games that he played for his team in the NBC Premier League.

Yanga started March with a 3-1 away victory over Namungo FC, and they did so thanks to a goal and assist by Azizi Ki at Majaliwa Stadium in Lindi. 

Three days later, Yanga went on to defeat Ihefu SC 5-0 in Dar es Salaam. Aziz Ki scored one and assisted three times to inspire Yanga to a sixth league win in a row as they tightened their grip on the top spot. 

Aziz Ki scored for the third consecutive game when his lone strike secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over a battling Geita Gold FC at Azam Complex Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

It was his 13th league strike of the season which was later equaled by his closest rival ‘Fei Toto’ when Yanga succumbed to a 2-1 defeat to Azam FC during the Mzizima Derby at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.

Yanga was not in league action for almost one month due to the international break and CAF Champions League engagement.

On Sunday last week, Aziz Ki continued from where he left with a well-taken goal against Singida Fountain Gate FC that saw him overtake Fei Toto in the top goal scorer race.

His 14 goals and seven assists have helped Yanga enjoy a healthy lead over second-placed Azam FC as the defending champions edge closer to lifting a third successive league title.

On the flip side, ‘Fei Toto’ has now gone two games without a goal after Azam FC was held to a disappointing draw against Mashujaa FC on Wednesday.

Against Namungo FC last Sunday, Fei Toto fired blank, though he managed to increase his goal involvement tally with an assist to Kipre Junior’s second goal.

The Tanzanian international will aim to keep the pressure on Aziz Ki when Azam FC hosts Ihefu SC on Sunday, against whom he scored in the reverse fixture in November.

Kinondoni Municipal Council FC's Waziri Junior sits third with 11 strikes. The former Azam FC and Young Africans striker has also gone two games without registering a goal since his hat-trick against Tabora United early last month.

Yanga's Congolese import, Maxi Nzengeli, is sitting fourth with nine goals followed closely by Samson Mbangula, Kipre Junior, Maruf Tchakei, Jean Baleke, and Mudathir Yahya- each with eight.