Football

Amakhosi Fall To Celtic

Bloemfontein Celtic         (1) 3 (Sera 45’, 48’, Letsoalo 75’)

Kaizer Chiefs                       (1) 1 (Mathoho 35’)

Kaizer Chiefs lost an away game for the first time this season when they went down 3-1 to Bloemfontein Celtic in an Absa Premiership game played at the University of Pretoria Stadium on Wednesday evening. Despite Chiefs taking the lead, they were not able to pick up any points. Mulomowandau Mathoho headed Chiefs into the lead in the 35th minute. A quick-fire brace by Motebang Sera with a goal in the final minute of the first half and another three minutes after the restart swung the game in the hosts favour. Victor Lestoalo scored a third in the 75th minute for Celtic to ensure that it was the hosts who picked up the three points.

The first bit of action saw Wandisile Letlabika launch an ambitious effort in the 4th minute to try and give Celtic the lead. He attempted to beat Daniel Akpeyi with a shot on goal from inside his own half. As the ball floated towards goal, the Chiefs keeper needed to back track and turned the ball over his goal for a Celtic corner.

Akpeyi was alert again in the 10th minute as he sprawled across the ground diving to his right to turn around an effort from around 20 yards out by Letsoalo. The Chiefs keeper managed to get his fingertips on the ball to send it out for a corner.

In the 24th minute, Chiefs created an opening as their freekick was broken up. Willard Katsande managed to retrieve the ball and laid it on to Khama Billiat who in turn sent the ball towards goal, where Mathoho managed with a glancing header to head the ball goal wards. It took a full-length diving save from Sipho Chaine to deny him putting Chiefs ahead. Samir Nurković attacked the loose ball on the follow up but he was flagged offside.

In a period of compounded pressure on the Celtic goal, Chiefs came agonizingly close to taking the lead in the 34th minute. A corner from the left by Billiat was sent to the far post where Leonardo Castro rose highest to meet the ball with a powerful header and with his head, Chaine stuck out a hand to make a crucial block.

With Celtic not dealing effectively with the danger, Chiefs were awarded another corner from the left and this time Bernard Parker swung the ball towards the near post, where Mathoho rose between Ndumiso Mabena and Mzwanele Mahashe to head the ball past Chaine into the back of the net in the 35th minute. Mathoho scoring his fifth league goal of the campaign.

In the final minute of the first half, Celtic found an equaliser. Lucky Baloyi played a small pass to Mabena who slipped the ball through to Sifiso Ngobeni. He ran onto the ball down the right side of the Chiefs defence and passed the ball across goal where Sera was on hand to slot the ball home.

The first half ended 1-1.

The coach introduced Reeve Frosler for Ramahlwe Mphahlele and Yagan Sasman came on for Lebogang Manyama at the start of the second stanza.

Soon after the restart, Chiefs came close once more to going ahead. Reeve Frosler played Nurković into space inside the right edge of the Celtic 18-yard area. The Chiefs striker lobbed the ball over Chaine but the crossbar prevented the Serb from scoring his 14th league goal of the season.

Sera completed his brace three minutes after the restart. A shot from distance by Lantshane Phalane deflected off Mathoho and fell into the path of Sera, who drove the ball past Akpeyi to put Celtic 2-1 ahead.

Just past the hour mark, Chiefs had a double chance. First Billiat saw an effort on goal blocked by the Celtic defence, Katsande then drove the ball wide shortly after with a thunderous effort on goal.

Celtic managed to grab a third goal in the 75th minute as Amakhosi tried clearing their lines to deal with a long ball from Ngobeni. Letsoalo picked up the loose ball and raced into the Chiefs penalty box, before driving the ball past Akpeyi to make the score 3-1.

In the final minute of the game Daniel Cardoso managed to float the ball goal wards from the right which managed to find Billiat, in acres of space inside the penalty. He was able to rise up and meet the ball with his head but failed to find the target. As the game ended 3-1 in favour of Celtic.

Fact of the game: 

Mulomowandau Mathoho scored his fifth league goal of the season. It is the most goals he has scored in a league campaign.

Number of the game 13: 

Chiefs have scored in each of their 13 away league games this season. It is the first time since 1991 that Chiefs have scored in 13 successive away league games.

Teams:

Chiefs: Akpeyi; Mphahlele (Frosler 46’), Mathoho, Agay, Cardoso; Manyama (Sasman 46’), Katsande ©, Parker (66’), Billiat; Nurković, Castro

Subs not used: Bvuma; Baccus, Kambole, Ntshangase, Zulu; Sifama

Celtic: Chaine; Fikizolo (Luthuli 84’), Mahashe, Chabalala, Ngobeni; Phalane, Baloyi, Letlabika ; Sera (Tchilimbou 64’), Mabena © (Potsane 87’), Letsoalo

Subs not used:Mpoto, Mashikinya, Meama, Ndou, Lingwati, Masuku

What’s Next?

Chiefs will need to pick up the pieces and get back to winning ways in their hunt for the title when they host Stellenbosch in their next game on Sunday, 23 August at Orlando Stadium. Kick-off is at 18h00.

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