Free State Stars pull off surprise victory

Free State Stars belied their lowly status in the Absa premiership standings with a narrow 3-2 win over provincial rivals Bloemfontein Celtic to win the derby match away at the Molemela Stadium on Sunday.

Sinethemba Jantjie scored twice and Congo international Harris Tchilimbou got the opener as Stars romped into a 3-0 halftime lead.

Celtic made for a dramatic finish as they pulled two goals back in the last 20 minutes, but could not find another to complete what would have been a stunning comeback.

Victory was not enough to lift Stars out of second last place but they are now five points clear of bottom club Maritzburg United and within one win of getting themselves out of the relegation zone.

Celtic‚ who could have gone up to fifth place with a win‚ initially looked bewildered as Stars bossed the midfield and caught them on numerous occasions with clever balls over the top of the defence which the visitor’s speedy players ran onto. Jantjie‚ who is heading to Bidvest Wits next season‚ showed his pace and finishing ability in scoring twice in the space of five minutes.

Meanwhile, 10-man Black Leopards held out for a goalless draw in their Absa Premiership match at home to Highlands Park at the Thohoyandou Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The result sees Lidoda Duvha rise to 13th place on the log, while the Lions of the North remain in ninth.

Highlands started very strongly and forced King Ndlovu into a notable save within the opening seconds.

The visitors went on to create further opportunities in the first few minutes.

The momentum seemed to be with the home side, but they were reduced to 10 men just after the hour mark when midfielder Khuliso Mudau was sent off.

Leopards created some promising attacking moments despite their numerical disadvantage, while Highlands were unable to make the most of having a man extra.