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Rustenburg - Platinum Stars continued to climb the Absa Premiership table when they punished bottom club Jomo Cosmos 2-0 in a league clash at the Moruleng Stadium on Saturday.
After a poor first half Stars came to life in the second period when both goals were scored to record their fourth successive win.
But dark days are on the horizon for Cosmos unless coach Jomo Sono can find a solution to the team’s lack of punch in attack and suspect defence. Cosmos, who were promoted at the start of the season, are in real danger of dropping back into the lower league after winning only one of 16 matches played to date.
Ezenkosi remain rooted to the foot of the table with only nine points and 13 goals to show for their efforts. They have also conceded the most goals in the 16-team league, having given away 29.
There was little to enthuse over in a dull and uninspiring first half in which the two sets of strikers managed three shots on target between them.
Cosmos started well when midfielders Bongani Theletsane rattled the Stars crossbar with a fierce drive in the third minute, but after that effort the visitors went back into their defensive shell.
Stars' Namibian striker Henrico Botes and Ezenkosi’s veteran goalkeeper Avril Phali challenged for a high ball in the 16th minute in a rare goal mouth incident which the Cosmos keeper won.
Botes then set up Thabiso Senamela with a chance in the 24th minute. The diminutive midfielder showed great skill by controlling the ball under pressure inside the Cosmos penalty area but his final shot was wide of the target.
Theletsane had a half chance on 37 minutes but his shot was also wide of the target.
Stars came out firing after the break after a team talk from coach Steve Komphela. Senamela set up Botes with a chance but the stand-in Stars captain made a mess of the opportunity a minute into the second half.
Dillon Sheppard was unlucky with two good efforts in the space of two minutes. His first, a header in the 51st minute, skidded past the post and two minutes later his wicked free kick from 20 metres crashed off the upright with Phali well beaten.
Stars continued to pile on the pressure and Phali did well to deny Japanese-born striker Norikazu Murakami a goal with a well struck volley in the 54th minute.
The pressure paid off on the hour mark when Joseph Malangoane did brilliantly to finish off a good move set up by substitute Luis Renteria. The small but determined midfielder did the business by hammering home his first goal in his professional career and putting Stars onto the victory trail.
Botes again wasted a chance to increase Stars' lead when he was unmarked inside the Cosmos penalty area and from close range tamely shot at Phali.
Renteria wrapped up the three points when he rammed home Stars' second goal three minutes from time to give his side a well earned victory.
