MONDAY, 1.00PM:
JOMO COSMOS — South Africa’s representative in the African Cup Winners’ Cup — were eliminated in the tournament by Al-Mansoura of Egypt. Cosmos drew the second leg 2-2 at PAM Brink Stadium on Sunday to give the Egyptians a 5-2 aggregate. Cosmos lost the first leg 3-0 in Egypt.
Cosmos’ Mozambican striker Manuel “Tico Tico” Bucuane opened the score for the “Ezenkosi” in the 21st minute.
Al-Mansoura striker Walid Salahabdelatif cancelled Bucuane’s earleir strike when he curled a free kick past Cosmos’ Burundian goalkeeper Aime Kitenge. Salahabdelatif then fired a thunderbolt in the 43rd minute, killing any hopes for Cosmos’ advance to the next stage.
Cosmos boss Jomo Sono said his charges were far from being disgraced. “I have asked my boys to get in the match and enjoy themselves, because there is no way we can perform a miracle,” said Sono.
Meanwhile, Orlando Pirates are lying at the bottom of the table in the African Champions League after three games. Pirates lost their match against Raja Casablanca 1-0 with the only goal coming from a seventh-minute penalty, which was converted by Mustapha Khalif in Morocco on Sunday . It was evident that Pirates were missing the services of captain John Moeti and Gavin Lane, who are both suspended, and Jerry Sikhosana and Joseph Ngake, who are out with injuries.
SPORT BRIEFS
ROTHMANS CUP DRAW THE Rothmans Cup draw took place in Johannesburg on Saturday and matched the four seeded clubs — Rangers, Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs and Sundowns — against the other quartet of Vaal Professionals, Santos, Wits University and AmaZulu or Jomo Cosmos respectively.
ETIENNE RENAULT RUNNER-UP YOUNG SA driver Etienne van der Linde finished second in the 1997 British Formula Renault Sport Championship at Silverstone on Sunday. Englishman Marc Hynes won the race from a pole position.
GERMAN MATCH FOR BAFANA BAFANA SOUTH African Football Association CEO Danny Jordaan confirmed on Sunday that Bafana Bafana is likely to play Germany on November 15 as an alternative to the Nigerian match. He said Safa’s International board will consider Germany’s offer. “Nigeria have not come back to us and time is not on our side if we are going to keep our World Cup preparations on track,” said Jordaan. He said if Nigeria does not reply by Wednesday, South Africa will definitely accept the German offer.
SA TENNIS VETS LOSE TO OZ SOUTH AFRICA lost 2-1 to Australia in the over-45 section at the world veterans team tennis championships in Pretoria on Saturday. In the concluding doubles Andy Rae and Max Bates beat SA’s Frank Briscoe and Jean Hubert 6-3 3-6 6-3.