Maritzburg United earned a point as they played to a 1-1 draw with Jomo Cosmos at the Woodburn Stadium on Wednesday night
Jomo Sono’s Cosmos are not as bad a team as their log position suggests and they fought hard to contain a United side who certainly can’t be accused of a lack of effort at trying to win this home game.
But the PMB team’s endeavours were in vain and Cosmos’s five-man defence held on for what would have been a morale-boosting away draw for the PSL newcomers.
Cosmos opened the scoring in the 17th minute. Koena Mathopa latched on to wing-back Ayo Olufawemi’s crossfield pass from the left and finish past goalkeeper Tashrique Goldman.
But the home team did start to get a foothold on the game towards the end of the half as Fadlu Davids slipped after being put through on goal, but recovered to tee up Bekha Phakathi, whose shot was parried by Cosmos ’keeper Avril Phali.
The resultant corner was poorly cleared and Noah Chivuta headed back into the area. Byron Hendricks side-footed from the right side to the left where Rudolf Bester played the ball back in and Davids, with his back to goal, again teed up, this time for Brice Aka to blast in a 37th-minute equaliser for his first goal of the season.
United began the second half mostly utilising the boot of captain Bageta Dikilu from central defence to go route one. Slowly though, as the home team settled and grew in confidence, and following the introduction of Kulegani Madondo and Collen Zimba from the bench, they began to find something like the passing rhythm they are capable of.
After Fadlu Davids headed straight at Phali early in the half, United’s probing football saw them engineer a clear opening in the 75th minute when Collen Zimba was found free on the right, but skewed his shot wide across goal.
Goldman kept his side in the game with two superb saves in the 80th minute, from Mathopa volleying Olufawemi’s cross and then when Elhadji Samb was free in the area.
With two minutes left Bester missed a great chance with a header over the bar from Felix Obada’s cross.
Last night: Wits University 0 Mpumalanga Black Aces 1, Bloemfontein Celtic 0 Mamelodi Sundowns 2, Kaizer Chiefs 1 Moroka Swallows 2, Maritzburg United 1 Jomo Cosmos 1, Santos 2 Free State Stars 2, SuperSport United 3 Orlando Pirates 0
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