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| Bongani Macala © Gallo Images |
Bloemfontein Celtic left it until the 90th minute before they secured a 1-1 draw against Santos at a packed Seisa Ramabodu Stadium in Free State on Wednesday night.
Having conceded a 58th-minute goal, the home side came at Santos with wave after wave of attack until Cecil Oerson’s 90th-minute strike gave them a deserved point.
The first half was an open, evenly balanced and entertaining affair as both teams did their best to make things happen in attack.
It was however quite surprising that there were only three real chances on goal in the opening 45 minutes.
The first fell the way of Tlou Segolela, who beat a couple of players before striking a Santos defender with his shot, which was deflected wide.
The home side appealed for a hand ball, but referee Peter Mabuza did not comply.
Santos had a fantastic chance to take a 20th-minute lead when Musa Otieno put Eleazar Rodgers through on goal.
Rodgers did the hard work in beating Celtic keeper Patrick Tignyemb to the ball, but then side-footed wide of an empty net.
Just before the break the Peoples’ Team created another chance when Tony Tsabedze pulled the trigger from quite some range. His effort was arrowing in towards the bottom corner of the net, but Tignyemb made a good save.
Former Santos midfielder Thembile Kanono came on for Celtic ten minutes after the break and he looked to immediately make his mark on the game as he sent a 25-yard shot just wide of goal with his first two touches of the ball.
But the action soon returned to the Celtic goalmouth as Bongi Macala let rip with a thunderous 58th-minute strike, which Tignyemb did superbly well to tip over the bar.
It was from Graham King’s resultant corner that the opening goal arrived when Mogogi Gabonamong’s header on the run bounced off the turf and into the roof of the net.
The home side should have replied in the 61st minute when Sandile Ndlovu’s flick on allowed Segolela a clean run in on goal, but the former Pirates man was not clinical with his finish and Santos keeper Tshepo Motsoeneng made a good save.
Ndlovu had an equally good opportunity seven minutes later when he was picked out by Mbhuyiselo Sambu, but with the goal beckoning, his header went wide.
The pressure continued to come from Phunya Sele Sele and Cecil Oerson was extremely unlucky to see his header bounce back off the upright in the 72nd minute.
Motsoeneng was then again called into action, making an excellent save from Kanono’s free kick.
Ten minuets later Santos were again let off the hook when Patrick Malokase turned Thabo Nthethe’s shot inches wide of the upright.
The pressure finally paid off for the home team when Oerson found space on the right and beat Motsoeneng from 18-yards out.
Bloemfontein Celtic (0) 1 (Oerson 90’)
Santos (0) 1 (Gabonamong 58’)
Celtic: (4-4-2) Tignyemb; Goldstone, Sambu, Motlhaping, Mototo, Mayambela (Malokase 64’), Nthethe, Olomu (Kanono 56’), Segolela; Oerson, Ndlovu (Spandeel 68’)
Santos: (4-4-2) Motsoeneng; Macala, Gabonamong, W Arendse; T Arendse; Chapman(Scott 77’), Otieno, Mafoko, Tsabedze (King 54’), Rodgers, Spelman (S Arendse 66’).
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