Kaizer Chiefs missed out on the opportunity to go top of the Premiership as they went down to their fourth defeat of the season on Sunday, with a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Jomo Cosmos in Orkney.

Chiefs came to Orkney Cosmos expecting a fight and they got just that from the host team, although it must be said that The Amakhosi gave as good as they got and could feel some what aggrieved at losing this game. As both Cosmos goals came completely against the run of play with their first after twenty minutes coming off their first real attack of the game, while Cosmos second goal on the stroke of half time came again as Chiefs attacked Ezenkosi with the hope of going into the half time break in front.

It was Chiefs who looked the brighter of the two teams and had Siyabonga Nkosi to thank as he managed to open up the Cosmos defense inside the space of two minutes, as he cut down the right he sent in a cross to Kaizer Motaung Junior.

The Chiefs striker was beaten to the ball by Cosmos Namibian goalkeeper Shiningayamwe, a minute after that on twelve minutes Nkosi again asked questions of the Cosmos back line and once again got a ball into the danger zone. Kaizer Motaung Junior was beaten to the ball by the Cosmos defense and the home team were able to clear their lines.

Siphiwe Mkhonza was next to close to opening the scoring for Chiefs, when from a Ditheko Mototo corner from the left came into the Cosmos 18 yard area and was met by the head of Mkhonza once again the Cosmos goalkeeper rose to the challenge and superbly turned the ball away for a corner.

For all the dominance they had in the opening twenty minutes of the game Chiefs were made to rue their missed opportunities, as Cosmos took the lead on twenty two minutes. As a corner came in from the right Cosmos defender Sidney Plaatjies rose above the Chiefs defense, and headed the ball down wards and away from Rowen Fernandez. Despite the best efforts from Arthur Zwane on the line the power off Plaatjies header carried the ball across the line.

Despite going a goal down Chiefs continued to attack and could have found themselves on level terms in the 23rd minute, when Nkosi once again made himself a menace to the Cosmos and send a ground ball towards Kaizer Motaung Junior.

The ball did not find Motaung but instead rolled out deflected off a Cosmos defender towards Gert Schalkwyk, whose shot knocked off a Cosmos defender and headed goal wards Cosmos had Tsotetsi to thank as he cleared the ball off the line.

Chiefs did get the all important equalizer two minutes later when the Cosmos keeper could not hold Siyabonga Nkosi’s shot from distance, the rebound fell to Cyril Nzama who was lurking inside the Cosmos six yard area. The Amakhosi captain headed the ball forward and Ditheko Mototo rushed in and bundled the ball over the line, to grab the equalizer as well as Kaizer Chiefs 500th PSL goal since the inception of the PSL back in the 1996 – 1997 season.

A minute on and Chiefs could have found themselves ahead, as a Siphiwe Mkhonza throw in glided into the Cosmos penalty area the ball fell invitingly for Patrick Mayo, the Chiefs defender could not control his shot and dragged the ball narrowly wide of the Cosmos goal.

On the stroke of half time Cosmos went back in front as they counter attacked with rapid speed, Bamuza Sono sent a long searching ball from the half way line over the Chiefs defense. Calvin Kadi sped away from Jimmy Tau and reached the ball before the Chiefs defender, as he entered the Chiefs 18 yard area he shot across the face of goal to beat Fernandez and restore Cosmos lead.

The first scoring chance of the second half fell the way of Cosmos; Chiefs had Rowen Fernandez to thank as he made a good save off a Dingaan Mabalane shot five minutes into the second half. In the sixtieth minute of the game Siyabonga Nkosi floated a ball over the Cosmos defense towards Gert Schalkwyk, the Chiefs striker latched onto the ball and sped towards goal.

As he bore down on goal it looked as though he was upended by the Cosmos goalkeeper and the referee duly pointed to the penalty spot, after consultation with the assistant referee he turned the decision around as Schalkwyk was called for being offside before getting into the Cosmos penalty area.

Goal scoring opportunities for The Amakhosi in the second half were few and far between, Siyabonga Nkosi did manage to go close to the Cosmos goal with a free kick in the 78th minute after Ditheko Mototo was fouled on the edge of the Cosmos 18 yard area.

Perhaps Chiefs best chance of the second half fell the way of Siyabonga Nkosi, who collected a short pass from David Radebe and raced across the face of goal before unleashing a shot towards the Cosmos goal mouth. Once again Shiningayamwe was in inspired form as he got in the way of the ball and punched the ball clear, the final action of the game saw Rowen Fernandez stretch across the face of goal to palm away a shot from Bamuza Sono in injury time.

Ernst Middendorp shook his head at the end of the game but it was more in disbelief then anything else as Chiefs should have at the least gotten a point out of this game, the Chiefs will now have to focus his and his team’s attention on Ajax Cape Town who Chiefs will host on Saturday evening.

Line Up’s:

Jomo Cosmos: 1. A. Shiningayamwe, 33. G. Mtshali, 4. M. Tsotetsi, 32. T. Tshilo,

5. V. Nahayo, 13. S. Magalefa 2. S. Plaatjies, 18. A. Laffor, 27. D. Mabalane,

20. B. Sono (6. Letsholonyane 90 min), 17. C. Kadi




Substitutes: 69. T. Mkhonza, 8. A. Bunjira, 16. L. Mhlate, 23. M. Gould,

31. S. Lekgothoane, 6. R. Letsholonyane, 3. E. H. Samb




Coach: Jomo Sono

Kaizer Chiefs: 1. R. Fernandez, 4. C. Nzama, 2. J. Tau (11. Ngobese 58 min),

21. P. Mayo, 44. S. Mkhonza (28. Spencer 74 min), 18. A. Zwane (31. Radebe 72 min), 8. T. Nengomasha, 33. D. Mototo, 10. S. Nkosi, 7. K. Motaung Jnr, 25. G. Schalkwyk




Substitutes: 32. R. Wuest, 28. D. Spencer, 9. S. Djiehoua, 24. D. Mathebula,

31. D. Radebe, 22. R. Kilambe, 11. E. Ngobese




Coach: Ernst Middendorp

Cautions:

Jomo Cosmos: Yellow Cards, 32. Tshapelo Tshilo 25 minutes, 5. Valery Nahayo 32 minutes, 13. Samuel Magalefa 60 min, 4. Moketsi Tsotetsi 86 minutes

Kaizer Chiefs: Yellow Cards, 25. Gert Schalkwyk 85 min

Referee: Jonas Nhlapho