Celtic add to Cosmos’ woes
Bloemfontein Celtic heaped more misery on Jomo Cosmos after they beat the promoted side 1-0 in an Absa Premiership match.
|||Bloemfontein - Bloemfontein Celtic heaped more misery on Jomo Cosmos after they beat the promoted side 1-0 in an Absa Premiership match at the Free State Stadium on Thursday.
Celtic moved up to fourth in the league after recording their third win of the campaign following a first-half strike by Geoffrey Massa. Cosmos, however, are still winless this season and occupy 15th spot.
The home side had a few inviting free kicks on the edge of the Cosmos penalty area in the first quarter, but the visitors smartly dealt with Keagan Buchanan's deliveries.
Cosmos, who have only scored one goal in their first four matches this season, came close to opening the scoring when left back Cheslin Jampies' free kick was flicked wide by Tebogo Makobela.
Two minutes later Celtic's Musa Nyatama tried his luck with a shot from about 30 yards out, but the midfielder couldn't keep it down to trouble Cosmos goalkeeper Sherwyn Naicker.
But Celtic took the lead a minute later when the Cosmos defenders were caught napping by a long ball from Celtic goalkeeper Patrick Tignyemb.
The shot-stopper's 50 metre kick evaded the Cosmos defence and dropped kindly for Massa, who slotted the ball past Naicker with a powerful strike.
Cosmos had a grand opportunity to hit back, and double their goal tally this season, when the referee adjudged that Celtic's Wandisile Letlabika handled the ball inside of the penalty area.
However, Charlton Mashuba's penalty was poor and was easily dealt with by Tignyemb. Cosmos stepped up the intensity at the start of the second half, and Wiseman Maluleke went close in the 47th minute with a fierce drive.
But Celtic were unlucky not to double their lead in the 54th minute after some great interplay between Nyatama and Lerato Lamola. Lamola's shot, though, hit the upright and rebounded safely into Naicker's hands.
Cosmos showed some enterprise towards the end of the match, and Tebogo Makobela came close to equalising in the 86th minute. However, he couldn't keep his header down with only Tignyemb to beat. - ANA