Orlando Pirates were lucky to collect valuable points when they beat Jomo Cosmos in a fast and entertaining game played before a capacity crowd in a Castle Premiership at Durban’s Absa Stadium on Sunday night.
Both sides were below-strength, with Pirates missing Benedict ”Tso” Vilakazi, Innocent Mdledle and Jabu Mahlangu and Cosmos taking the field without Sammy Magalefa.
Pirates had the better of the opening exchanges and twice threatened to open scoring. Bennett Chenene then took a high corner in the ninth minute, which was headed in by Manuel ”Tico Tico” Bucuane, a former Cosmos striker.
Zico Siningayanwe, Cosmos’s goalkeeper, saved shots from Chenene and Onyekanchi Okonkwo in the 21 and 22nd minute respectively.
Chenene increase the tally in to 2-0 in the 33rd minute. He broke from the midfield and sent a low shot that left Siningayanwe stranded between the posts.
Cosmos made a double substitution in the beginning of the second stanza, with Gerald Mtshali and Clint Sepadi coming on for Calvin Kadi and Reneilwe Letsholonyane.
Kadi didn’t spend much time on the field as he was injured and replaced by Davis Mwape. Letsholonyane score the only goal for Cosmos in the 69th minute.
Cosmos continued to press on in the second half and Bamuza Sono’s shot was saved by an agile Francis Chansa, Pirates’ goalkeeper.
In the 78 minute, Isaac Chansa was sent off for a second bookable offence.
With Cosmos putting more pressure on Pirates, the Buccaneers introduced Jorry Morahe and Tony Coyle for Ramudzuli Rudzani and for Bucuane.
In the dying minutes of the game, Lucky Lekgwati cleared off the line a high ball from Valeny Nohaye. — Sapa