I was playing for my dead baby, says SA star

MORULENG, South Africa: Thato Lingwati led Jomo Cosmos Wednesday, just five days after his baby daughter died, as they drew 0-0 at Platinum Stars to keep alive hopes of promotion to the South African Premiership.

At the halfway stage of a double-round promotion/relegation series, Black Leopards have four points, fellow second division side Cosmos two and top-flight outfit Platinum one. Each club meets the other two again between May 26 and June 2 and the side topping the final standings will compete for riches unrivalled in African football during the 2018/2019 season.

Lingwati led by example in the closing stages at a stadium in northwestern village Moruleng as hosts Platinum laid siege in search of a match-winning goal.“I was playing for her,” said the 25-year-old centre-back, battling to hold back tears as he referred to the death of his one-month-old daughter last Friday.

Cosmos coach/owner Jomo Sono, 62, was a South African football great, deprived of playing for his country during the 1970s and 1980s because of apartheid-induced international isolation.