Platinum Stars stutter at home and exit TKO Cup

by Phumzile Ngcatshe

Saturday Nov 04, 2017. 17:52

Bonginkosi Ntuli's early goal didn't make any difference for Platinum Stars as they lost 2-1 to Bloemfontein Celtic in a Telkom Knockout quarterfinal match on Saturday at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium.

On the other hand, goals from Lantshene Phalane and Tshegofatso Mabaso were enough to dispatch Dikwena out of the competition.

Victor Letsoalo had a glorious opportunity to make it 1-0 in the 25th when his deflected shot in the box went over the cross bar.

However, it was Ntuli who broke the deadlock five minutes later after receiving a long pass into the box, and the burly forward chipped the oncoming Tignyemb to make it 1-0.

It was the hosts who were leading at half time.

Siwelele pushed for an equaliser in the second stanza and they levelled matters when Phalane netted with a fine left-footed set piece to beat Stars keeper Dino Visser in the 58th minute.

Ntuli missed a wonderful opportunity from a header after a great cross down the left flank, the goalscorer saw his effort going wide with just Tignyemb to beat in the 79th minute.

In the 80th minute, the visitors came back from behind to grab the lead through substitute Mabaso after brilliant play by Kabelo Mahlasela who beat three Dikwena defenders before setting up a cross.

Despite their efforts to find an equaliser, the hosts were not clinical upfront as they exit the competition they won in 2013.

Platinum Stars: (1) (Ntuli 30')
Bloemfontein Celtic: (0) 2 (Phalane 58', Mabaso 80')

Platinum Stars: Visser, De Jongh, Mwedihanga, Zulu, Sithole, Mere, Ng'ambi, Mkhabela (Matlakala 87'), Links (Mwila 65'), Otladisa, Ntuli

Bloemfontein Celtic: Tignyemb, Pfumbidzai, Rikhotso, Ndengane, Mabena (Lubisi 88'), Letsoalo, Letlabika, Baloyi, Hotto, Motshegwa (Mabaso 74'), Phalane