A brace from Victor Letsoalo handed Bloemfontein Celtic a spot in the top 8 of the Absa Premiership after beating Maritzburg United 3-1 in a league match at Tuks stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The result saw Celtic finish in eighth position on the table with 39 points, the same as Highlands Park in ninth place but with a superior goal difference. Maritzburg, on the other hand, finished in seventh place on 42 points.
Celtic started like a house on fire with the opening goal in the eighth minute courtesy of a clinical strike from Letsoalo, 1-0.
The side from Bloemfontein suffered a bit of a set-back ten minutes later when goalkeeper Sipho Chaine had to leave the field injured and was replaced by Jackson Mabokgwane.
The break in play favoured Maritzburg who found their feet and managed to score an equalizing goal in the 36th minute thanks to a strike from Tebogo Tlolane, 1-1.
The half ended all-square.
Celtic came out with a renewed spirit at the start of the second half and took the lead a minute after the break when Lucky Baloyi found the back of the net, 2-1.
After taking the lead the men from Bloemfontein seemed content to sit on their lead and invited the attacking pressure from Maritzburg.
The KZN’s side of finding their way back into the game was dealt a huge blow in the 55th minute when Kwanda Mngonyama was shown a red card, leaving Maritzburg with only ten men.
Celtic were superb in defence and managed to kill off the game ten minutes from time when Letsoalo scored his third goal to see the match end 3-1.
Celtic (1) 3 (Letsoalo 8’ & 80’, Baloyi 46’)
Maritzburg (0) 1 (Tlolane 36’)
Celtic: Chaine (Mabokgwane 16’), Letlabika, Mereko, Luthuli, Lingwathi, Sera (Maloisane 69’), Maema (De Jongh 69’), Letsoalo, Baloyi, Mofokeng (Mashikinya 75’), Matjila (Nyamende 76’).
Maritzburg: Ofori, Sanoka (Hlongwane 48’), Allie, Kutumela (Augusto 78’), De Reuck, Bongo Mbourou (Buchanan 53’), Timm, Claasen, Mngonyama, Tlolane, Moseamedi.© Backpage TXT.
SOURCED FROM THE PSL WEBSITE.
