Leopards rally to salvage a point
Black Leopards fought back twice to claim a late goal against Bloemfontein Celtic and see the Absa Premiership match end 2-2 at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Wednesday night.
Black Leopards were straight into the game from the second minute as an in-swinging corner from the right was taken by Luyolo Mapolisa, but his effort went wide.
Just four minutes in Mahlatse Maake won a free kick for his team following a foul on him by Tsietsi Mahoa but the resulting play was far from dangerous.
On the 20-minute mark Danny Venter took a shot from 25-yards out but it went out wide, while on the other end Patrick Tignyemb was called into making a punching effort from Angelo Kerspuy’s shot.
Four minutes before the half hour mark Clifford Mulenga failed in his attempt in getting his corner kick to meet a teammate as his effort resulted in open play.
In the 31st minute Taaibos was booked for a challenge on Mulenga, before having the away side breaking the deadlock six minutes later.
A corner was taken by Clifford Mulenga from the right which found Mulomowandau Mathoho, who headed the ball into the back of the net from inside the six-yard box.
The restart brought about no changes for either team and three minutes later Itumeleng Duiker was booked for Leopards following his foul on Venter.
But it was Leopards who stung first after the start of the second half as they found an equalising goal. Maake sent in his corner into the box, Kingston Nkhatha did well to rise above everyone else to place it into the back of the net in the 50th.
Kerpsuy was booked in the 53rd minute for unfair play, while three minutes later Mongezi Bobe replaced Mapolisa.
It started to become a card-dishing frenzy when Humphrey Khoza and Joshua Obaje were cautioned within four minutes of each other.
The travelling side once again proved a force off the corners as they took the lead once more in the 73rd minute. Buhle Mkhwanazi grabbed the header from close range off yet another Mulenga set-piece.
Soon after there was a substitution by Bloemfontein Celtic as Ezenwa Otorugo and Ruzaigh Gamildien replaced Bacela and Venter in the 75th and 76th minute respectively.
Nine minutes from the 90, Humphrey Khoza was shown his marching orders after receiving a second yellow card, while in the final minute Otorogu was caught offside in a promising position.
But it wasn’t over as in the dying minutes of the game Obaje drew back a late equaliser for the hosts from a corner kick by Thomas Madimba.
Black Leopards (0) 2 (Nkatha 50’, Obaje 90+3’)
Bloemfontein Celtic (1) 2 (Mathoho 38’, Madubanya 73’)
Teams:
Leopards: Omony; Xakane, Mkhonza, Khoza, Maake (Madimba 79’), Taaibos, Duiker, Mapolisa (Bobe 57’), Mabunda, Obaje, Nkhatha (Mabusela 83’)
Celtic: Tignyemb; Hlongwa, Nthethe, Mathoho, Mahoa, Venter (Gamildien 77’), Madubanya, Mkhwanazi, Kerspuy, Mulenga (Mshengu 83’), Bacela (Otorogu 75’)