Arrows go top of the table
BLOEMFONTEIN Celtic were beaten 2-1 by Golden Arrows in an Absa Premiership clash at the Dr Molemela Stadium yesterday afternoon.
The first scoring opportunity fell to the visitors, Arrows, but Lerato Lamola sent his header wide of goal.
The Durban team had another chance in the 19th minute, but this time Danny Phiri shot straight at Celtic goalkeeper, Patrick Tignyemb.
Celtic found the going tough against the solid and organised defensive organisation of Arrows, with the result that their first real scoring attempt came via a set piece.
It was Lyle Lakay who lined up the free kick, just outside the penalty area, but he drilled his effort narrowly wide.
A minute before half-time, it was again from a free kick that Celtic threatened, once more it was Lakay with the responsibility, but, his shot narrowly missed the target.
Four minutes into the second half, though, Celtic took the lead when Alfred Ndengane’s effort was deflected into the net.
But this certainly wasn’t the cue for Celtic to start dominating proceedings – on the contrary, Arrows rallied and equalised on the hour mark through a neat header from Bloemfontein Celtic.. 1 Golden Arrows .....2 SuperSport............... 0 Free State Stars ...0 Kaizer Chiefs ........... 2 Maritzburg United.0 Platinum Stars ......... 0 Baroka FC ............1 Polokwane City ........ 3 Highlands Park.....2 Golden Arrows .........4 3 0 1 6 4 Orlando Pirates........3 2 1 0 5 2 Wits ..........................3 2 1 0 4 1 Kaizer Chiefs ...........4 2 1 1 5 3 Cape Town City........4 2 1 1 3 2 SuperSport United ...4 1 2 1 1 1 Polokwane City ........4 1 2 1 4 5 Chippa United ..........2 1 1 0 2 1 Platinum Stars .........3 1 1 1 2 2 Baroka FC................4 1 1 2 3 5 Maritzburg Utd .........4 1 1 2 1 3 Highlands Park ........3 1 0 2 4 5 Ajax Cape Town.......4 0 2 2 3 5 Free State Stars.......4 0 2 2 1 3 Mamelodi Sundowns1 0 1 0 0 0 Bloemfontein Celtic..3 0 1 2 1 3 9 7 7 7 7 5 5 4 4 4 4 3 2 2 1 1 Nkanyiso Mngwengwe.
Dumisani Zuma could then have put Celtic back into the lead, but Arrows goalkeeper Maximilian Mbaeva pulled off a great save to tip the winger’s curling shot over the bar.
The hosts kept on pressing in search of a winner, but they were undone with a silly error in defence and Arrows’ Wayde Jooste netted to give the Durban side a 2-1 advantage.
Celtic tried desperately to get back on level terms in the closing stages, but to no avail.
Arrows hung on to register another crucial win on the road. – ANA