Chiefs left frustrated by Cosmos

Cape Town - Kaizer Chiefs and Jomo Cosmos played to a disappointing 0-0 draw in their Absa Premiership encounter at Olen Park Stadium on Tuesday night.

Despite the result, the league’s defending champions move to the fifth spot with 11 points and the hosts moved to the 14th position with four points. They are yet to win a league match this season.

In an exciting tie that just lacked goals, Ezenkosi were the first to attack when Mxolisi Macuphu saw his shot going wide off Reyaad Pieterse’s goals in the opening three minutes.

Amakhosi intensified their probe for an opener and Erick Mathoho’s header went wide with the Cosmos’ keeper beaten on the ball.

Jomo Sono’s men closed down Amakhosi and didn’t allow them too much time on the ball and in the 30th minute, Charlton Mashumba hit the side of the net when he was denied by Pieterse.

Amakhosi thought they had taken the lead through Edward Manqele with less than three minutes to go to the interval but he was adjudged to have been in an offside position.

The second stanza began with Amakhosi pushing forward and a Masilela attempt went inches wide of the far post. Manqele was also denied by Naicker.

With Ezenkosi fighting hard to get something out of the tie, the Zimbabwean striker, Mashumba was in the right position once again after beating Ivan Bukenya only to see his shot saved by the keeper for a corner. Frederic Nsabiyumva couldn’t connect with the resulting cross on the far post with just under 15 minutes to go.

In the dying minutes of the tie, Amakhosi nearly stole the winner when substitute Siphelele Mthembu saw his effort come back off the woodwork, while Pieterse was alert to make a fantastic save from a corner to deny Cosmos a winner.

With just one minute to go, Naicker was saved by the woodwork when he watched Bukenya’s shot hitting the post.