Celtic hold Chiefs to draw in Soweto

by Staff Reporter

Wednesday Aug 29, 2018. 21:51

Bloemfontein Celtic scored two goals in three minutes to hold Kaizer Chiefs to a 2-2 draw in an Absa Premiership clash at FNB Stadium in Soweto on Wednesday evening.

The Amakhosi held a 2-0 lead heading into the final 25 minutes of regulation time, but Celtic came from behind to extend the hosts winless start to the league to five matches. Celtic remain unbeaten after four games.

Chiefs threatened early on through Siphelele Ntshangase and Dumisani Zuma who both rattled the woodwork in the opening half-hour.

The Glamour Boys finally found the back of the net in the 37th minute through Khama Billiat. The Zimbabwe international ran onto a perfectly timed through ball by Ntshangase before firing a low shot into the back of the net to give the hosts a narrow lead at the break.

Khotso Malope doubled Amakhosi's lead in the 64th minute with a neat finish: lobbing the onrushing Tignyemb following a pass from Leonardo Castro for his first goal in senior football.

Celtic, though, were not not ready to throw in the towel and pulled a goal back through Menzi Masuku in the 76th minute following a quick one-two on the edge of the area before leveling matters three minutes later.

Ndumiso Mabena with a crisp volley effort that left Bruce Bvuma with no chance to stun the Chiefs fans into silence.

Chiefs now head into their MTN8 semifinal second-leg clash against SuperSport United in desperate search of a win to ease the mounting pressure on head coach Giovanni Solinas.

Kaizer Chiefs (1) 2 (Billiat 37' Malope 64')

Bloemfontein Celtic (0) 2 (Masuku 76' Mabena 79')

Kaizer Chiefs: Bvuma; Mphahlele, Ngezana, Cardoso, Ntiya-Ntiya, Katsande, Ntshangase, Malope (Jayiya 71'), Billiat, Zuma, Castro.

Bloemfontein Celtic: Tignyemb; Rikhotso, Ndengane, Gordinho, Sam, Potsane (Masuku 49'), Mashikinya, Phalane, Dlamini (Letsoalo 71'), Mabaso (Baloyi 52'), Mabena.