Celtic look to make home advantage count

by Graeme Jackson

Friday Nov 06, 2020. 11:00

Bloemfontein Celtic will look to make the most of home advantage when they host SuperSport United for the second leg of their MTN8 semifinal on the afternoon of Saturday 7 November 2020.

The clash is slated to kick-off at 15:00 CAT at the Dr Molemela Stadium.

The first leg at Lucas Moripe Stadium this past Sunday ended 1-1, with Ndumiso Mabena’s first-half away goal cancelled out by Ghampani Lungu’s equaliser early in the second stanza.

This leaves the tie delicately poised, with Phunya Sele Sele knowing that the away goal rule guarantees them a place in the final if they can keep a clean sheet, while a high-scoring draw of 2-2 or more would flip the tables in favour of Matsatsantsa.

Celtic should have been out of sight after dominating the first half, but coach John Maduka was left to rue their lack of finishing prowess.

“The first half [against SuperSport] we managed to create so many chances,” he explained. “If we were sharp enough, the game was supposed to be finished in the first half. It’s one of the things, you score some, you miss some.”

He added, “We are supposed to know to be very, very clinical… make sure that we get a chance, you score. If you miss opportunities, it gets back to you. The pressure’s on you, now you have to defend.”

United coach Kaitano Tembo, meanwhile, is optimistic compared to what he felt after the first 45 minutes in Tshwane last weekend.

“It was not a good first-half performance. They dominated possession. We changed a bit in the second half and had more opportunities. In the second half, our defenders were better. We have to take the positives from the game. It is played over two legs and we are still alive,” said Tembo.

In head-to-head stats – including last weekend’s meeting – the teams have clashed in 58 matches across all competitions since 1990, with SuperSport claiming 13 wins compared to 12 for Celtic, while no less than 33 games have been drawn. United have not suffered an outright defeat in this rivalry since a league clash in March 2015.

Head-to-Head (since 1990)

PREVIOUS CUP MEETINGS

Season Cup Result Scorers

2005/06 SAA Supa8, final Celtic 1-0 SuperSport Kilambe

2008/09 Telkom KO, qfinal SuperSport 2-2* Celtic Mashego (pen), Wolff (og); Isaacs (og), Salmon (og)

2017/18 Telkom KO, last 16 Celtic 2-2*SuperSport Rikhotso (pen), Motshegwa; Modiba, Brockie

2017/18 Nedbank Cup, L32 Celtic 1-1* SuperSport Mabena (pen); Mbule

2020/21 MTN8 semi, 1st leg SuperSport 1-1 Celtic Mabena; Lungu *After extra time, Celtic won on penalties

LAST 10 LEAGUE RESULTS

Season Result Scorers

2015/16 SuperSport 1-1 Celtic Grobler; Massa (pen)

2015/16 Celtic 1-1 SuperSport Abdul-Razak; Mpeta

2016/17 Celtic 0-0 SuperSport

2016/17 SuperSport 0-0 Celtic

2017/18 Celtic 1-1 SuperSport Letsoalo; Smith

2017/18 SuperSport 4-2 Celtic Ngele, Rusike, Modiba, Mokoena; Motshegwa, Mabena

2018/19 Celtic 0-0 SuperSport

2018/19 SuperSport 2-1 Celtic Grobler, Mokoena; Mabasa

2019/20 Celtic 1-1 SuperSport Motebang; Modiba

2019/20 SuperSport 1-1 Celtic Mokoena; Mahashe

CUP RECORD

P W D L GF GA

Celtic 5 1 4 0 7 6

SuperSport 5 0 4 1 6 7

OVERALL RECORD (all competitions)

P W D L GF GA

Celtic 58 12 33 13 62 62

SuperSport 58 13 33 12 62 62