Durban - In one of the most boring games the Absa Premiership has ever witnessed, no winner could be found as AmaZulu and Jomo Cosmos played to a goalless draw on a rainy Sunday afternoon inside the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
In what can only be described as a miserable afternoon in Durban, the football inside the new World Cup Stadium was just as bad.
The first 45 minutes was one half of football that will be quickly forgotten as neither side looked like they deserved to be in the top flight of South African football. It was 45 minutes of errors and constant miss-placed passes by both teams.
One of the biggest talking points of the half was the 16th minute substitution of Bukasa Kasonga, who was replaced by Nhlanhla Zwane. Kasonga was involved in a crunching 50/50 tackle that saw him carried off the pitch injured.
The best of a bad display definitely went the way of Usuthu in the 27th minute when Tshweu Mokoro broke down the right flank. Mokoro proceeded to drive down the wing before whipping in a teasing cross that Ayanda Dlamini met with his head. But Avril Phali, in the Cosmos goal, was up for the challenge producing a fine save to deny Dlamini from only six yards out.
That was about as good as it got in the first half as the fans booed the players leaving the field for the half time break.
The second half started a bit brighter as both teams looked to attack. Before long the visitors took firm control of the midfield and began dictating matters.
The first chance of the second stanza fell to Bamuzo Sono in the 51st minute. After latching onto a beautiful through ball, Sono only had the keeper to beat, but Mbongeni Mzimela did well to spread himself blocking the Cosmos player’s shot. Sono should have done a lot better but he hit his effort straight at the keeper.
Then in the 62nd minute Cosmos had another great opportunity to go in front when Elhadji Samb found himself in a one-on-one situation with only the keeper to beat after a great passing movement by his side. Unfortunately for Jomo Sono his striker pulled his effort just wide of goal from only 12 yards out.
AmaZulu, despite being on the back foot for the majority of the half, almost grabbed the winner five minutes from time when Mokoro broke away from his marker inside the 18 yard box to meet a right wing cross. Mokoro, however, failed to hit the target from only a couple of yards out, heading his effort well wide.
In the end the game finished as a stalemate and both teams walked away with a point, one they didn’t deserve because the quality of the football was so poor.
AmaZulu 0
Jomo Cosmos 0
AmaZulu: (4-4-2) Mzimela; Biyela, Bishop, Ariweriyai, van Heerden; Kasonga (N Zwane 16’), Ngxabi, Hadebe (Mabaso 67’), Mokoro; A. Dlamini, Ngwenya (Ritson 75’)
Cosmos: (4-4-2) Phali; Berthe, Tshilo, Oluwafemi (Theletsane 71’), Shitolo; Sono, Diarra, Hlalele (Gaborone 83’), Samb; Mhlathe, Bhembe (Moloto 64’)
In what can only be described as a miserable afternoon in Durban, the football inside the new World Cup Stadium was just as bad.
The first 45 minutes was one half of football that will be quickly forgotten as neither side looked like they deserved to be in the top flight of South African football. It was 45 minutes of errors and constant miss-placed passes by both teams.
One of the biggest talking points of the half was the 16th minute substitution of Bukasa Kasonga, who was replaced by Nhlanhla Zwane. Kasonga was involved in a crunching 50/50 tackle that saw him carried off the pitch injured.
The best of a bad display definitely went the way of Usuthu in the 27th minute when Tshweu Mokoro broke down the right flank. Mokoro proceeded to drive down the wing before whipping in a teasing cross that Ayanda Dlamini met with his head. But Avril Phali, in the Cosmos goal, was up for the challenge producing a fine save to deny Dlamini from only six yards out.
That was about as good as it got in the first half as the fans booed the players leaving the field for the half time break.
The second half started a bit brighter as both teams looked to attack. Before long the visitors took firm control of the midfield and began dictating matters.
The first chance of the second stanza fell to Bamuzo Sono in the 51st minute. After latching onto a beautiful through ball, Sono only had the keeper to beat, but Mbongeni Mzimela did well to spread himself blocking the Cosmos player’s shot. Sono should have done a lot better but he hit his effort straight at the keeper.
Then in the 62nd minute Cosmos had another great opportunity to go in front when Elhadji Samb found himself in a one-on-one situation with only the keeper to beat after a great passing movement by his side. Unfortunately for Jomo Sono his striker pulled his effort just wide of goal from only 12 yards out.
AmaZulu, despite being on the back foot for the majority of the half, almost grabbed the winner five minutes from time when Mokoro broke away from his marker inside the 18 yard box to meet a right wing cross. Mokoro, however, failed to hit the target from only a couple of yards out, heading his effort well wide.
In the end the game finished as a stalemate and both teams walked away with a point, one they didn’t deserve because the quality of the football was so poor.
AmaZulu 0
Jomo Cosmos 0
AmaZulu: (4-4-2) Mzimela; Biyela, Bishop, Ariweriyai, van Heerden; Kasonga (N Zwane 16’), Ngxabi, Hadebe (Mabaso 67’), Mokoro; A. Dlamini, Ngwenya (Ritson 75’)
Cosmos: (4-4-2) Phali; Berthe, Tshilo, Oluwafemi (Theletsane 71’), Shitolo; Sono, Diarra, Hlalele (Gaborone 83’), Samb; Mhlathe, Bhembe (Moloto 64’)