ANDREW MUCHINERIPI, Bloemfontein | Sunday 7.00pm
THOSE of us who returned to the Free State Stadium 24 hours after the tedium of the World Cup qualifier between South Africa and Lesotho hoping for something a little more lively were sadly disappointed.
A Castle Premiership fixture between Bloemfontein Celtic and Jomo Cosmos was rich in promise if only because the former were desperate for a victory to move away from a crowded relegation area.
The 1-1 result was probably right as neither side deserved maximum points from a poor advertisement for South African football. Lebohang Kukame gave Celtic an 11th-minute lead and Benjamin Mwaruwari levelled soon after.
Of all the gaps, some large and some small, that exist between the beautiful game in Africa and Europe, perhaps the greatest revolves around finishing, which appears to be getting worse and worse in our beloved land.
Some of the pathetic attempts at shooting, especially by Celtic, had to be seen to be believed. If a fight for survival among the elite cannot elict accurate finishing, what can?
If the Phunya Sele Sele players were trying to hit the roof of the stands that circle this impressive ground, fair enough. But I always thought that the aim of the game was to strike the ball between the posts and under the crossbar.
Cosmos were quicker, slicker and stronger and often appeared more dangerous despite their strikers being fed a meagre diet and Mwaruwari shot straight at Celtic goalkeeper Innocent Mayoyo when clear near the end.
Celtic went ahead when a weak clearance fell into the path of Kukame, but his shot would never have beaten goalkeeper Silver Tshabalala had it not taken a deflection off an ankle of Cosmos defender Andrew Rabutla.
Lebajoa Mphongoa, a member of the Lesotho team beaten 1-0 by Bafana Bafana the previous day, fouled Jury Mophaleng five mintues later and Zimbabwean Mwaruwari calmly sent the spot kick well wide of Mayoyo.
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