Bloemfontein Celtic produced an impressive performance to claim a 2-1 victory over SuperSport United at Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium on Tuesday.
SuperSport had the first sight of goal. Ghampani Lungu fed Sipho Mbule down the right-hand side and he whipped in a dangerous cross to the back post but it was a little too high for Bradley Grobler, who he headed over.
Celtic were playing some good passing football. In the 14th minute Menzi Masuku flicked the ball cleverly wound the corner for Victor Letsoalo, who crossed to the back post for debutant Reagan Claude Van der Ross and he twisted and turned before getting a shot away on his left but it was easily gathered by SuperSport goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
Soon after, Siya Nhlapo delivered from the right-hand side which Mbule met with the header and it wasn't a bad effort as it went narrowly wide of the left-hand upright.
In the 40th minute, the ball was laid off to the edge of the box for Masuku but his shot went sailing over the bar. Grobler then delivered from the left for Matsatsantsa and the ball was headed out to Mbule just inside the box who let fly but with the ball looking destined for the top right-hand corner, Sipho Chaine pulled off a stunning one-handed diving save to deny the visitors.
Phunya Sele Sele went up the other end and Letsoalo outsmarted his man on the left-hand touchline before crossing into the box for an unmarked Van der Ross, who completely scuffed his effort as a glorious chance went abegging.
Van der Ross made amends less than a minute after the restart. The homegrown local talent drove at the SuperSport defence and the ball fell to Letsoalo, who cut it back for the youngster and he rounded the keeper before firing emphatically into the roof of the net from a tight angle on his left foot.
Kaitano Tembo's side equalised in the 58th minute. Mbule took the corner and the ball was headed out to Lucky Mohomi on the edge of the box and he placed the ball into the top right-hand corner with Chaine rooted to the spot.
Moments later, SuperSport almost took the lead when Grobler was played through on goal and he dinked the ball over the onrushing Chaine but it was cleared off the line just in time.
In the 70th minute, Lucky Baloyi played a slide-rule pass to release Sera Motebang in on goal and the substitute went for the near post as the ball cannoned back off the upright.
With just under ten minutes to go, Sera dispossessed Mohomi in midfield and surged towards goal before firing a powerful effort that Williams did brilliantly to save diving to his right.
The substitutes for Phunya Sele Sele were combining well and two of them led to the hosts retaking the lead. Harris Tchilimbou was released in behind the defence down the right and squared the ball to the far post for an unmarked Sera, who had a simple-tap in from close range.
In the 92nd minute, substitute Ryan de Jongh came close to extending Celtic's lead when the ball was cut back to him by Baloyi and he tried to place it but it was straight at Williams and he could palm it over the bar.
- TEAMtalk media