Cosmos clinch quarterfinal berth
Jomo Cosmos beat Platinum Stars 4-3 after a penalty shoot-out in Daveyton on Sunday, to book a berth in the Nedbank Cup quarterfinals.
Stars striker Patrick Malokase opened matters in additional time with an inch-perfect 97th minute free-kick, with El-Hadji Samb equalising for Cosmos in the last minute of extra-time.
In the shootouts, Cosmos netted all four of their kicks while goalkeeper Avril Phali saved kicks from Mdu Msomi and Elias Ngwepe to send his team to the competition draw on Monday morning.
Relieved Cosmos owner and coach, Jomo Sono, boldly asked to meet perennial favourites Kaizer Chiefs in the next stage.
"Give me Chiefs, that is who I want in the draw," Sono said after the match.
"I'm not saying I'm going to beat them but at least if I can get 40, 000 in the stands, then it will still be a bonus for us."
It was a boosting win for the struggling side, and their second consecutive this week having beaten Wits in the league on Wednesday.
Cosmos will be disappointed with their performance in front of the goal and should have wrapped up the game in normal time.
Cosmos started brightly, with striker Siyabonga Nontshinga finding himself with an opportunity inside the area but lost the ball after poor control.
Soon after, Stars pressed forward with Thuso Phala drawing a save from Phali, who tipped his shot over the bar.
The Rustenburg outfit had chances with striker Henrico Botes heading narrowly over the posts before Sibusiso Msomi fired a shot that rebounded off the woodwork.
Ezenkosi came close through Alton Meiring, his attempted freekick going narrowly wide, while midfielder Mark Haskins hit the woodwork on the stroke of halftime.
The hosts had the better start in the second-half and should have opened proceedings with midfielder Matthew Rusike heading a Meiring cross wide of goal at close range.
Cosmos found better momentum going forward when Lebogang Pila came on for Bamuza Sono in the middle of the park near the hour mark.
In the 63rd minute, Haskins managed to turn and shoot on the edge of the box but his strike was saved by Jackson Mabokgwane in the Stars goal.
With scores still tied, both sides went all out for the final quarter of the match as Stars blew an opportunity when Malokase failed to punish poor Cosmos clearing at the back.
Cosmos came back as Samb laid the foundation for unmarked Haskins, who shot wide of goal in a good position.
As Stars took the lead early in the first-half of extra-time, Meiring headed poorly wide in front of goal.
