MAHLASELA INSPIRES CELTIC
Bloemfontein Celtic beat Cape Town City 1-0 in an Absa Premiership clash at Athlone Stadium on Tuesday evening, to build on their promising start to the campaign.
Kabelo Mahlasela with the solitary goal in the Mother City.
As expected, City head coach Benni McCarthy made wholesale changes to his starting 11 three days after their penalty shoot-out defeat to SuperSport United in the MTN8 final.
Taariq Fielies, Thabo Nodada and Teko Modise – who only played 66 minutes in Durban – the only three survivors from the clash.
Siwelele got off to the better start and registered the first shot in anger on 15 minutes. Ndumiso Mabena denied by Sage Stephens who has been preferred to Shu-Aib Walters between the sticks in league matches.
City’s first clear-cut chance fell to Ayanda Patosi just short of the half-hour mark, but he too failed to find the back of the net. Patrick Tignyemb with the save.
Stephens was called into action once more in the 33rd minute – making a double save to keep out Mabena and Deon Hotto, but for the large part it was a low-key affair.
Goalless at the break, with everything to play for in the second stanza.
Following a rather cagey spell following the interval, it would be the visitors to open the scoring in the 67th minute.
An eye-catching move finished with aplomb by Mahlasela, who showed a superb bit of skill to take it past the covering City defender before guiding the ball into the back of the net.
Lehlohonolo Majoro and Lyle Lakay were duly introduced off the bench by the Citizens as they went in search of equaliser, but it would not be forthcoming as they suffered their third defeat of the campaign.
As for Phunya Sele Sele, victory moves them level on points with their counterparts with a game against Ajax Cape Town at the same venue looming.
Cape Town City 0
Bloemfontein Celtic 1
Mahlasela 67′
Cape Town City: Stephens; Dove, Fielies, Gumede, Kobola (Majoro 77′) – Putsche, Nodada (Lakay 86′), Modise (Masina 65′) – Martin, Patosi, Obinna Nsofor
Bloemfontein Celtic: Tignyemb; Pfumbidzai, Ndengane, Rikhotso, Lubisi – Hotto, Phalane (Letlabika 90+3′), Baloyi, Mahlasela (Mashikinya 88′) – Nyundu, Mabena (Letsoalo 81′)
