Staff Reporter.
Bloemfontein Celtic came from behind to beat Chippa United 2-1 in a 2020-21 DStv Premiership match at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane.
Celtic made a good start and came within inches of the perfect start with two minutes on the clock. The ball fell favourably for Harris Tchilimbou inside the area and his right-footed shot had Isma Watenga beaten,but not the crossbar.
Chippa settled and conjured a glorious chance of their own in the 20th minute. Nyiko Mobbie split the Celtic defence wide open with an eye of the needle pass but Kurt Lentjies failed to find a way past Jackson Mabokgwane in the Siwelele goal.
The Chilli Boys continued to grow in confidence and opened the scoring in the 38th minute. Good interplay on the edge of the area offered Mduduzi Sibeko a chance to shoot and the midfielder duly thumped an unstoppable effort past Mabokgwane, who had no chance.
Celtic finally got their goal in the 66th minute. Persistence paid off for Tchilimbou who won the ball in Chippa’s penalty box before teeing up Neo Maema who made no mistake to net his third goal of the league season.
Ndumiso Mabena probed all evening and finally got his goal to complete the comeback and end his own personal goal drought in the 75th minute of the match. Another mad scramble in the Chippa area resulted in Celtic coming out on top and the Phunya Sele Sele skipper duly punished the hosts.
Victory, a first on their travels since January last year, all but confirms Celtic’s top-flight status for another season. Siwelele moved up to 10th spot following the win, six points clear of 15th-placed Chippa who now sit two points from safety with two rounds of fixtures to play.
Meanwhile Swallows FC were held to a 0-0 draw by Stellenbosch FC in a 2020-21 DStv Premiership match at the Dobsonville Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
The result saw the Beautiful Birds set a new PSL record for the most draws in a single season, as it was their 18th stalemate this term. The result leaves them in fifth on the league standings.
Stellies remain in 14th spot on the standings – a point above the relegation zone with two matches to save their Premiership status.
Elsewhere Baroka FC held Limpopo rivals Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila to a 0-0 draw in a 2020-21 DStv Premiership match at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Tuesday.