- Bloemfontein Celtic. AmaZulu FC coach Benni McCarthy marked his return to South African football by winning the DStv Premiership Coach of the Month award.
- Orlando Pirates host Bloemfontein Celtic in a Premier Soccer League encounter at Orlando Stadium on Tuesday. Having played two games more than log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns who are seven points.
Bloemfontein Celtic battled back to earn a point against Maritzburg United in a 1-1 draw at Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium on Saturday.
Outside the British Isles, South African club Bloemfontein Celtic F.C., one of the most popular club in the country with a large fan base in the Free State, is also named after Celtic F.C. Founded in 1969 as Mangaung United, in 1984, the then owner Molemela took over the club and changed the name to Bloemfontein Celtic.
Nazier Allie and Daylon Claasen came into Ernst Middendorp's Maritzburg starting lineup as Phunya Sele Sele coach John Maduka made several alterations from the loss to Orlando Pirates in midweek.
The first sight at goal came Maritzburg's way. Thabiso Kutumela played in Daylon Claasen who slotted it into the bottom left corner but the linesman flagged for offside.
In the 18th minute, Bongokuhle Hlongwane picked it up on the right and used the overlap from Claasen as a decoy before cutting in and firing himself but his effort just cleared the crossbar.
Four minutes later, Jose Ali Meza recycled the attack out to Kutumela who delivered deep to the far post. Hlongwane rode highest but failed to keep his header on target.
Hlongwane was running riot. This time Claasen clipped it over the top for him to run onto but he dragged his effort from the inside right channel wide of goal.
With five minutes to go before the interval, Ryan Rae floated in a long throw that caused trouble in the Celtic defence before it was cleared off the head of Riyaaz Ismail.
And just when it looked as if the sides would be going into the break all square, Kutumela curled in a free kick from the edge of the box into the left-hand corner.
In the 53rd minute, Hachi found Hlongwane with a ball over the top and the striker cut inside before firing a left footed shot but his effort was blocked in the centre of the box.
Kutumela then lead a counter and slid in Claasen down the left. The midfielder got to the by-line but his cross was blocked away for a corner.
The Free State outfit got themselves back on level terms with 28 minutes to go in the contest, with Menzi Ndwandwe restoring parity for the home side.
Maritzburg were reduced to ten men for the final seconds of the game as Clayton Daniels was sent off, leaving Middendorp's men in 15th spot.
Confirmed line-ups:
Celtic: Mabokgwane, Mahashe, Rikhotso, Chabalala, Baloyi, Ndwandwe, Kobedi, Potsane, Ngobeni, Letsoalo, Maema.
Subs: Mpoto, Ncobeni, Luthuli, Pfumbidzai, Phalane, Mofokeng, Lingwati, Van de Ross, Masuku.
Maritzburg: Engelhardt, Daniels, Ismail, Claasen, Morgan, Shandu, Rae, Tlolane, Meza, Kutumela, Hlongwane
Subs: Mpandle, Hachi, Carnell, Ngwane, Sifama, Moseamedi, Modise, Hlubi, Bhengu.
comments
Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.Popular on Kick Off
Cape Town City brushed Bloemfontein Celtic aside with a 4-0 thrashing in the Nedbank Cup last 16 on Saturday evening, with a hat-trick from Tashreeq Morris.
Bloemfontein Celtic Fc Livescore
Zambian Charles Zulu and Tashreeq Morris got a start for City, as Celtic went with reserve goalkeeper Mondli Mpoto ahead of Sipho Chaine.
Morris looked to make his presence felt minutes in after firing a through ball from Mduduzi Mdantsane into the side-netting.
It wasn’t over for the visitors closer to the half-hour mark when Taariq Fielies headed a cross from Fagrie Lakay over Mpoto’s goal with the visitors unable to clear their lines.
Celtic enjoyed little in the way of clear chances, with City steadfast in their pressure play as Craig Martin drilled a low attempt from a decent area wide.
Mpho Makola, who entered from the bench against Baroka FC last Sunday did so again for the Citizens ahead of the second half with Zulu sacrificed.
Siwelele Sa Masele were made to pay for ill-timed defending on 58 minutes after Morris got ahead of a low cross at the near post to tap beyond Mpoto.
City were nearly pegged back from a curling free-kick outside the area on 66 minutes by Given Mashikinya, but goalkeeper Peter Leeuwenburgh pulled a blinder of a save.
However, Morris allayed their fears two minutes later when he leaped on the end of an in-swinging corner-kick to head into the near corner.
It was three close to the final ten minutes after Thabo Nodada ran onto a through pass from Morris to blast into the near corner of the net.
Celtic searched for a consolation late on, but Morris had the final say when he curled in off the post and into the net from outside the area in added time as it ended.
Confirmed line-ups:
Bloemfontein Celtic Fc Vs
City: Leeuwenburgh, Martin, Fielies, Cupido, Mashego, Mokeke, Nodada, Mdantsane, Zulu, Lakay, Morris.
Bloemfontein Celtic Fc Sofascore
Subs: Anderson, Mkhize, Kewuti, Shonga, Makola, Roberts, Mobara, Potouridis.
Celtic: Mpoto, Baloyi, Rikhotso, Mahashe, Ngobeni, Mahshikinya, Kobedi, Fikizolo, Masuku, Tchilimbou, Letsoalo.
Subs: Chaine, Phalane, Luthuli, Matjila, Van Der Ross, Sera, Sera, Ndwandwe, Lingwati, Ncobeni.