by AKANI CHAUKE
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – A RARE win has lifted the gloom off the Jomo Cosmos camp and put the side in good stead ahead of the bottom-of-the-table clash at home to Black Leopards this weekend.
The two former Premiership clubs clash on Saturday at the Vosloorus Stadium in Ekurhuleni.
Kickoff for the GladAfrica Championship match is 15h30.
It comes on the back of Jomo Sono’s men registering their first win this season, after 14 matches.
Cosmos finally came good with a 1-0 success away to TS Sporting, sitting at 12th place.
It ended a winless run of 17 matches, dating back to May, last season.
The win over TS Sporting was nonetheless not sufficient to lift Cosmos off the bottom of the table, where they remain stuck on with nine points.
However, the win will be a major confidence boost for the side ahead of their encounter against Leopards, who coincidentally have been dragged into the relegation quagmire.
Leopards are 15th and have four points more than Cosmos after they also did themselves a huge disservice last weekend with a 2-0 loss away to Hungry Lions.
Ezenkosi have received a significant boost ahead of the weekend with the recovery from injury of Brazilian midfielder, Kassiano Soares Mendonca, who is on course to make a debut.
The player signed from fellow relegation strugglers, Cape Town Spurs, and is familiar with the fight to avoid the axe.
His buoyance reflected the positive mood at Cosmos.
“We will fight for the three,” the 26-year-old Mendonca told CAJ News.
“I am back now (from injury). Hopefully, in the next games, I will be in the squad,” said the Brazilian.
He has been having a calf problem.
The GladAfrica Championship resumes at the Profert Olën Park on Friday with an encounter between Platinum City Rovers and Cape Town All Stars.
On Saturday, log leaders, JDR Stars are away to Free State Stars at Goble Park.
In a top-of-the-table clash, second-placed Richards Bay host third-placed University of Pretoria at the King Goodwill Zwelithini Stadium.
Uthongathi, fourth on the table welcome Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila to the Princess Magogo.
Venda Football Academy will be at home to capital city side, Pretoria Callies, in Thohoyandou.
On Sunday, Polokwane City host Hungry Lions at the Old Peter Mokaba.
The curtain comes down the weekend fixtures with an encounter between Spurs and TS Sporting at Athlone.
– CAJ News