Orlando Pirates were poised to emerge from the pit of Premier Soccer League despair in which they have sunk this season at Ellis Park on Saturday afternoon when all hell broke during a 50th-minute debacle in the 1-1 draw with Jomo Cosmos.
First, prolific Cosmos scorer Cris Katongo burst through a static Pirates defence to pounce on a lobbed pass from Dikgang ”The Terminator” Mabalane and score an enterprising equaliser.
Then, with Pirates’ players unjustifiably disputing the legitimacy of the goal, Stanton Fredericks was first shown a yellow card and then key midfielder Isaac Chansa was red-carded for apparently abusing one of the assistant referees.
The enraged and indignant Zambian international had to be restrained by teammates and officials before being escorted off the pitch, with Pirates’ studied football disintegrating after the string of cascading setbacks.
Whether Chansa acted with a degree of mitigation is questionable, but Cosmos owner-coach Jomo Sono threw some light on the affair when he proclaimed afterwards: ”I was right next to the altercation between the Pirates player and the assistant referee and I could not believe the language I heard.”
With 10 men, Pirates’ first-half authority — which culminated in Innocent Mdledle opening the score in the 38th minute with a pugnacious, breakaway goal — quickly disappeared.
The Buccaneers, who have slithered disappointingly out of a succession of cup events this season, find themselves still wallowing in the doldrums in the Premier Soccer League race with a record two wins, a draw and three defeats from their six games.
Ultimately, the game disintegrated into a kick-and-rush affair, with two sides lacking in poise and confidence seemingly content to take away a point from the tepid proceedings.
Cosmos, however, can thank sturdy Walter Khumalo in goal for saving their bacon, with stunning, agile first-half saves from Jabu Mahlangu and Benedict Vilakazi preventing Pirates from taking a firm grip on the proceedings before the interval. — Sapa