Jomo Cosmos shared the spoils from a 1-1 draw with a determined Moroka Swallows after playing their first home Premier League game at Witbank’s Ackerville Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Birds were leading 1-0 at the break.
A sizeable crowd from the Witbank area witnessed top-flight football in their own backyard because Ezenkosi’s regular ground, Huntersfield Stadium, is under renovation.
The game started at a fast pace with both teams looking for an early goal while testing the goalkeepers with an avalanche of shots.
Swallows striker Shongwe Chalwe, who was causing major problems for Cosmos, scored for the Birds on the half-hour mark. Chalwe received a cross from captain Goodman Mazibuko and made no mistake beating Abiasi Shiningayamwe in the right corner.
Cosmos never gave up and they started controlling the game in the second half.
Swallows’ rearguard, together with their goalkeeper Greg Itasia, were working overtime as Ezenkosi searched for an equaliser.
Swallows coach Gavin Hunt looked sure his team would hang on to their lead, but Cosmos striker Anthony Laffor had his own ideas.
Laffor received a defence-splitting cross from Dikgang ”Terminator” Mabalane and headed home the equaliser deep in the referee’s optional time to snatch two points from Swallows.
And it was a relieved Cosmos who left the field having been beaten 3-0 by Cape Town Ajax and 2-0 by Bloemfontein Celtic in their previous games. – Sapa