Pirates beat Cosmos in the reserve league

A late goal from Ndumiso Mabena saw Orlando Pirates beat Jomo Cosmos in a reserve league match played at Orlando Stadium today. 

Winger Tlou Segolela put Pirates in the lead in the 20th minute of the first half with a clinical effort from inside Cosmos area. Bucs could have stretched their lead still in the first half, but striker Takesure Chinyama missed a goal scoring opportunity after being set by winger Khethoakhe Masuku. 

The two teams went to the interval with Bucs leading 1 – 0. In the second half, a young and determined Cosmos were more daring, and their efforts paid off. They found the equaliser in the opening minutes of the second half, levelling the score to 1-1. 

Goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs who was beaten for the first time in this league, once again showed his leadership skills, by organising his solid defence captained by Happy Jele, while Lucky Lekgwathi played in his usual centre back position alongside Ayanda Gcaba. 

Coach Roger de Sa who set in the bench today brought in Benni McCarthy, Onyekachi Okonkwo and Mabena, and the trio ‘turned the game on its head’ in an instant. 

Okonkwo put a through-pass wide on the right flank of Cosmos defence and ‘flying’ Segolela with his trade-mark explosive runs beat a Cosmos defender before delivering a superb cross in to the box which was headed by Mabena inside the Cosmos net. 

Cosmos went again searching for an equaliser, but they found a resolute Bucs defence and the match ended 2 -1. Bucs have now collected ten points from four matches in this league. 

The Squad: M Josephs, P Phungwayo, L Lekgwathi, A Gcaba, H Jele. K Masuku, T Ntshumayelo, A Jali (Mabena), L Masalelsa (Okonkwo), T Segolela. T Chyniama (McCarthy).