Aces too strong for Cosmos

Cape Town - Mpumalanga Black Aces moved up to second spot on the Absa Premiership table with a 3-1 win over Jomo Cosmos in a league match at Mbombela Stadium on Tuesday night.
 
The result sees Aces up to 18 points after ten games, the same number of points as league leaders Platinum Stars but having played two games more.
 
The loss for Cosmos is their fourth of the season and sees them in 14th place with seven points from nine games, only one place outside of the relegation zone.
 
Both teams offered very little in attack in the opening half hour. Neither team took control of the game and wasted possession in the final third.
 
On the half hour mark an injury to Aces’ Sibusiso Masina saw him leave the field. He was replaced by Judas Moseamedi.
 
That seemed to spark the home side into life and they managed to take the lead in the 38th minute when Thanduyise Khuboni played Lebogang Manyama into space on the edge of the box and the attacking midfielder made no mistake with a thunderous strike, 1-0.
 
On the stroke of half-time Aces managed to double their lead when Collins Mbesuma superbly headed home a Bongolethu Jayiya corner-kick, 2-0.
 
Ten minutes into the second half Aces confirmed their dominance in the game when Judas Moseamedi found their third goal after latching onto a pass from Aubrey Modiba, 3-0.
 
In the 69th minute, Manyama almost made it four for the home side, but he fired his long-range strike narrowly over the target.
 
Three minutes later Cosmos pulled a goal back courtesy of a clinical finish from Brica Aka.
 
Cosmos tried to find their way back into the game after that, but the Aces defence held firm to pick up all three points.