Posted in News on Apr 03, 2007.
Eldorado Park Stadium, Eldorado Park
Premier Soccer Reserve League
2nd April 2007
Kick Off: 16h00
Temperature: 23 °C
The Kaizer Chiefs reserves tasted defeat for the first time this season on Monday afternoon when they were defeated by a much more experienced Jomo Cosmos team at the Eldorado Park Stadium.
A goal inside the first ten minutes by Alois Bunjira and a second on the stroke of time from Lethola Mofokeng, helped guide Cosmos to a 2-0 victory. The Amakhosi though did create more chances, but unlike in their previous games, found it hard to break down a well-disciplined Cosmos defence, kept in tact in the first half by former Bafana Bafana defender Mark Fish.
A missed penalty by Serge Djiehoua late in the second half with Cosmos leading 1-0 at the time, did not assist Chiefs course as their 100% start to the reserve league season ended on Monday.
The first real attack of the game came after eight minutes as Cosmos cleared their lines off a Chiefs corner, the ball eventually got to Mofokeng who from a tight angle on the right had a crack at goal. Itumeleng Khune initially did well and got down to make the save, he was unable to hold on to the ball and parried the ball with no defenders in sight Alois Bunjira was first to the ball and slotted it home from close range.
Until the midway stage of the first half Chiefs were finding it hard to get in behind what was a resolute Cosmos defence who were content with absorbing the pressure and launching counter attacks.
It was going to take something really special to open up this Cosmos defence. In the 22nd minute Sibusiso Msomi came up with the perfect answer with some delightful skill as he danced his way past two Cosmos players and unleashed a shot from distance which Cosmos keeper Khumalo could not stop. Unfortunately for Msomi the ball missed the target by a few centimetres.
Shortly after that Chiefs could have gotten themselves on a level footing when Rotson Kilambe was set free by Gert Schalkwyk, Kilambe was able to send in a good looking ball from the right but David Radebe was unable to make contact with the ball and the chance went a begging.
A few minutes later and Msomi was at it again this time around on the left wing he managed to turn Fish inside out and made the former Bafana Bafana man look very ordinary, as he laid off a pass to Siphiwe Mkhonza who drove the ball along the ground. He too could not find the target.
As halftime approached Alois Bunjira was able to beat the Chiefs offside trap when he collected a cross-field pass from the left wing. Itumeleng Khune though must be credited for thinking fast as he came off his line and pushed Bunjira wide of the goal post, he eventually forced Bunjira into taking a shot off which he made a brave save at the feet of the Cosmos striker.
Chiefs came out for the second half looking to keep their good start to the reserve league intact and Derrick Spencer came on as a second half substitute, spelled out Chiefs intentions, with a shot from distance in the 51st minute. It swerved and dipped on its way towards goal forcing Khumalo into action, the Cosmos goalkeeper timed the ball well and punched it away to safety.
Two minutes before the hour mark and another second half substitute Serge Djiehoua then came close to finding the equalizer, Serge was picked out by a perfectly executed cross on the left by Lawrence Molekwane. It found the burly striker lurking on the edge of the Cosmos 18 yard area, Djiehoua did well to control the ball and shot on the turn but he too watched as the ball rolled passed Khumalo’s right hand post.
Serge was at the heart of Chiefs next move on 69 minutes as he ran horizontally to the Cosmos goal from left to right and picked out Msomi with a ball across the ground, Msomi then beat his marker Simon Lekgothopane only to be hacked down by Lekgothopane seconds later.
The referee duly pointed to the penalty spot and handed Chiefs the opportunity to get back into the game, Serge Djiehoua stepped and took the kick knocking the ball to the goalkeeper’s right. Only for Khumalo to guess right and at full stretch he was able to get to the ball and palmed it away and out for a corner.
Inside the final ten minutes Chiefs had two more attempts at goal thwarted in the first instance David Radebe did well to avoid the challenges of Cosmos defenders Volschenk and Mahlangu.
From close range he unleashed a shot which beat Khumalo only for Muianga to fly across the face of goal and prevent what looked like a certain goal from going in, Chiefs last attempt at goal fell to Sandile Zuke. A ferocious shot from distance brought the best out of Khumalo, as the Cosmos keeper back tracked to make a superb one handed save.
In injury time at the end of the second half Cosmos made certain of the game, when Alois Bunjira picked out Mofokeng with a long cross field ball. Mofokeng, in acres of space, controlled the ball lined up his shot and shot across Khune’s goal to double his teams led with the last kick of the game.
Line Ups:
Kaizer Chiefs: 32. I. Khune, 23. L. Molekwane, 3. F. McCarthy, 33. D. Mototo,
17. S. Zuke, 10. S. Msomi, 25. G. Schalkwyk (9. Djiehoua 54 min), 44. S. Mkhonza,
5. S. Faba (28. Spencer 46 min), 31. D. Radebe, 21. R. Kilambe (19. Gololo 67 min)
Substitutes: 1. R. Wuest, 2. M. Masenya, 28. D. Spencer, 19. B. Gololo, 9. S. Djiehoua
Jomo Cosmos: 1. W. Khumalo, 24. C. Muianga, 5. M. Fish (4. Volschenk 46 min),
G. Mahlangu, 8. A. Bunjira, 3. S. E. Haj, 23. I. Ntsume (27.Cohen 79 min),
31. S. Lekgothopane, 29. L. Mofokeng, 9. D. Mwape (33. Moloto 77 min),
15. A. Oluwafemi,
Cautions: Jomo Cosmos, 29. Lethola Mofokeng 17 min, 2. Godfrey Mahlangu 56 min, 31. S. Lekgothopane 69 min
Officials:
Referee: Colman Phasha
Assistant 1: Patrick Marumo
Assistant 2: Mduduzi Mbhele
4th Official: Michael S. Ndlovu
