Injury scare in dull draw

MAMELODI SUNDOWNS 0 BLOEMFONTEIN CELTIC 0

AT THE end of the day, football and the scoreline didn’t matter.

What was of grave importance was Wandisile Letlabika’s well-being – or lack of it – after the Celtic cente-back collided with the goalpost with his head as he was rolling on the ground following a challenge from Hlompho Kekana.

He was left unconscious and needed urgent medical attention in optional time just before the end of the first half. Sundowns’ doctor Carl Tabane rushed onto the scene to help his Celtic counterpart.

The whole stadium was in shock, holding their breath for most of the 12 minutes Letlabika spent on the ground. The 29-year-old was just finding his rhythm after a long injury lay-off. And what was alarming was the slow delivery of the mobile stretcher and the defibrillator. Celtic captain Patrick Tignyemb shouted at the paramedics in frustration.

Sundowns showed good sportsmanship to help Phunya Sele Sele. Kekana took off Letlabika’s boots while the doctor worked on stabilising him. The crowd stood and clapped when Letlabika was finally stretchered off the pitch and sent to hospital.

The players from both teams were shaken by the incident. Celtic were emotional at first in the second half, making rash decisions and reckless tackles. Letlabika’s absence hurt

Celtic on many levels.

They lost a leader and a reliable centre-back – a position where they were already thin. Phunya

Sele Sele were forced to sell Alfred Ndengane to Orlando Pirates to solve their financial woes while Lorenzo Gordinho returned to Kaizer Chiefs from his loan spell.

Letlabika’s timely return late last year covered that problem. Should he now be out for a long time Phunya Sele Sele will be in a sticky situation that they can’t afford.

After a slow start, Celtic grew in confidence yesterday as the match progressed. They took the game to Sundowns. They threatened the hosts with their speed and burst of energy on transition. The Brazilians came down from the high of their enthralling performance against

Cape Town City that put them into the No1 position.

This time around they were insipid. Instead of the dominant force they were against the Citizens, Sundowns laboured to take control of this match on a hot afternoon in Pretoria.

It wasn’t that Celtic were any good in the opening exchanges either; neither of these sides gave fans value for their money. It was a dull affair in the first half.

And the pitch didn’t help. Players were slipping, even without being challenged by the opposition.

The fans had to provide their own entertainment, and the singing grew livelier just before the half-hour mark as the supporters tried to keep themselves awake.

Around the same time Anthony Laffor unleashed a scorching shot that was way off the mark. It was the most entertaining moment of the first half.

This point takes Sundowns to the 40-point mark after 21 games while Celtic reached the magical 30-point mark that should guarantee their safety from relegation.

The Brazilians missed out on an opportunity to create distance between themselves and the other league contenders. But they do have a game in hand and they’ll look to their experience to manage the final stretch of the season.