Cosmos shot down

Manning Rangers edged out Jomo Cosmos 1-0 in a keenly-contested Premier Soccer League match at Chatsworth Stadium in Durban on Sunday.

Attacking midfielder Mandla Zwane scored the only goal of the game in the 54th minute to maintain the home side's unbeaten run in the new season. The Mighty Maulers now have nine points from three games, which puts them at the top of the early log table. Cosmos came into Sunday's game cock-a-hoop after beating Orlando Pirates 4-1 on Friday night and fought strongly in the first half, but looked the weaker of the two sides in the second period.

Their best effort of the day came in the 37th minute when midfielder-cum-forward Morgan Nkathazo took a free-kick that forced Rangers goalkeeper Grant Johnson to throw his body to the right to parry the ball. Rangers coach Gordon Igesund brought Keryn Jordan on for Isaac "Shakes" Kungoane in the 49th minute and the winning goal came five minutes later.

Defender Sipho Ndzuzo's shot was blocked by the Cosmos defence and the rebounder fell into the path of Mandla Zwane who drove home from just inside the box. Minutes later Jordan managed to connect with a cross from the left by Japhet Zwane but the effort went narrowly wide. In the 82nd minute Cosmos goalkeeper Simon Gopane did well to tip over Solo Ndimande's stunning drive from outside the box. - Sapa