Ralani show leads City past Celtic

by Staff Reporter

Saturday Dec 22, 2018. 21:00

Cape Town City capped their year with a thrilling 3-2 Absa Premiership win over Bloemfontein Celtic at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday evening.

The hosts were 2-0 down at the break, but rallied following the interval to claim all three points and duly climb up to eighth place on the log standings, a point behind Siwelele, who suffered their fourth defeat in succession.

Phunya Sele Sele hit the front as early as the fifth minute through Ndumiso Mabena who profited from a goalkeeping howler by Peter Leeuwenburgh.

The visitors doubled their lead to the shock of the home fans in the 17th minute. Given Mashikinya darted into the area before sliding the ball past Leewenburgh to bag a goal against his former employers.

City, though, found their groove just before the hour mark and cut the deficit in half thanks to a goal from Siphelele Mthembu. The burly forward squeezed in between two defenders before nodding home for his fifth goal of the league season.

Surprise Ralani then turned the game on it's head with two goals in as many minutes.

The Citizens winger fired home from an acute angle in the 72nd minute to pull the hosts level before completing his brace with a composed finish after darting through on goal.

City duly held on to claim all three points as pressure continues to mount on Siwelele who look a distance off the side that started the season in such devastating fashion.

Cape Town City (0) 3 (Mthembu 59' Ralani 72' 74')

Bloemfontein Celtic (2) 2 (Mabena 5' Mashikinya 17')

Cape Town City: Leeuwenburgh; Mkhize, Dove, Fielies, Seedat, Nodada, Modise (Rusike 60'), Ralani, Patosi (Roberts 70'), Norodien (Links 53'), Mthembu.

Bloemfontein Celtic: Dambe; Sam, Letlabika, Lingwati, Rikhotso, Baloyi, Mashikinya (De Jongh 66'), Dlamini (Maema 36'), Phalane, Mabena, Masuku (Mangweni 81').