Jomo Cosmos showed why they are at the bottom of the Absa Premiership table with another insipid performance against Thanda Royal Zulu at the Ackerville Stadium in Witbank on Saturday.
The hosts, who lost 2-1, will remain at the bottom of the log until the season kicks off in February.
Ryan Botha opened the scoring in the 59th minute but on the hour mark Geofrey Massa scored the equaliser for Cosmos. Bernard Parker, who set Botha up for the first goal, headed home to give his team a valuable three points.
Both sides lacked creativity although Thanda looked better in attack.
They pinned Cosmos in their own half for the better part of the first half and could have been a goal up had their finishing not been so poor.
Botha shot straight at Avril Phali when he could have picked his spot and Parker also shot wide. Serge Djiehoua tried some long-range shots, but they did not trouble the goalkeeper.
At the other end Massa ran on to a through-ball but Lance Niewenhuis, unlike his flat-footed backline, was alert to the danger and stopped him from scoring.
Niewenhuis appeared idle, but in the dying minutes of the half he tipped a scorcher from Dikgang Mabalane over the bar.
Parker set Botha up for the opening goal with a defence-splitting pass. The industrious midfielder drew two Cosmos players to him before coolly passing the ball to Botha who made no mistake with a left-footed bullet.
Thanda’s joy was short-lived, however, as a minute later Massa, unmarked in the 18-area, placed his shot beyond the stranded keeper.
Play went back and forth and players committed silly errors and it seemed the game would end at 1-1.
Nevertheless, Thanda kept pressing and Clement Mazibuko’s corner was forcefully headed home by Parker.
Thanda are now 13th with 16 points while Cosmos languish at the bottom with 13. – Sapa