Chippa register first win against Celtic
Chippa United secured their first Absa Premiership win of the season with a 2-1 home victory over Bloemfontein Celtic at the Athlone Stadium.
Chippa made a positive start to the team at a rainy Athlone, with Cole Alexander being given space to shoot after three minutes, but he lifted his 30-yard effort over the bar.
A half chance then followed for Petrus Ngebo, but from an angle he struck the side-netting.
With 15 minutes gone Phunya Sele Sele looked threatening on the break as space opened up quickly for them, but Ruzaigh Gamildien was indecisive and the chance went to waste as he shot tamely.
The Free State side began to play themselves back into the game, but it was Celtic who were to concede first.
The goal was scored by Ngebo, who used his bulk to climb above the visiting defence and nod home Alexander’s cross; 1-0 to Chippa after 29 minutes.
It was nearly two-nil a minute later, but Celtic keeper Patrick Tignyemb did well to get up a strong hand to Alexander’s shot from a tight angle.
Celtic continued to look dangerous on the break, but could not get things together in the final third of the field, in and around the Chippa box.
The home side had the first chance after the restart when Ngebo broke down the right wing, but from out wide on the right he dragged his effort across goal.
The Cape side needed the cushion of a second goal and it came in the 54th minute when Diego Brown went on a scintillating run before finishing with a superb right-footed shot from the edge of the area.
Two minutes later and Celtic were nearly able to pull a goal back, but Letladi Madubanya smashed a shot from 15-yards out into the crossbar.
Chippa could have wrapped up the game in the 66th minute, but when the ball fell to Ngebo from a rebound, he slammed the ball into the stands from 12-yards out.
At the other end there was another great chance, this time the culprit being Lerato Manzini as he turned the ball over the bar from close range.
The visitors were back in the game in the 76th minute when they were awarded what appeared to be a rather soft penalty for Maxwell Khubeka’s challenge on Lennox Bacela, who comfortably converted the spot kick himself.
The closing stages of the game saw Celtic throwing everything at Chippa, who were forced into some last gasp defending as on several occasions the Free State side came agonisingly close to getting a goal.
Chippa United (1) 2 (Ngebo 29’, Brown 54‘)
Bloemfontein Celtic (0) 1 (Bacela 76’ pen)
TEAMS
Chippa (4-4-2): Kassally, Khubeka, Sithole, Mvalo, Matomane, Mnguni, Mbenyane (Twala 85‘), Alexander (Sali 73‘), Qalanto, Ngebo (Rhode 82‘), Brown
Celtic (4-4-2): Tignyemb, Mvaza, Isaacs (Nontshinga 71’) , Nthethe, Mahoa, Madubanya, Gamaldien (Lakay 63‘), Manzini, Mogorosi (Nyanda 84‘), Arwuah, Bacela
