Celtic retain Macufe Cup after beating Chiefs

THE REFRAIN “Bloemfontein Celtic have won the Sparta Macufe Cup” is fast becoming a cliché.

They have now won the cup for the fourth time in a row, a victory that was duly celebrated by their passionate crowd who nearly raised the roof off the Free State Stadium as they sang their lungs out in their usual spirited way.

Led by assistant coach Lehlohonolo Seema in the absence of Clinton Larsen, Celtic fielded a mainly second string side largely made up of the MultiChoice Super Diski Challenge players.

And it would have pleased Larsen to bits that 19-year-old youngster Tshegofatso Mabaso scored the game’s only goal – a sign that their development programme is on the right track. Mabaso put Amakhosi to the sword with a well-taken strike just after the hour-mark. A long punt from the back saw the ball into the opposition half.

Mabaso latched on to it, controlled it and rushed away from the attentions of Chiefs captain Morgan Gould and with Brilliant Khuzwayo approaching the youngster deftly slotted home what proved to be the winner.

Celtic’s victory, though, owed a lot to their solid defen- sive play against a Chiefs side that also fielded mainly fringe players, and the Free Staters fought a fantastic rearguard action as their adversaries went in search of the equaliser.

Amakhosi’s George Maluleka played conductor for the entire match but try as he might the midfielder was met by a brick wall.

Not even the skills of Pule Ekstein could see Chiefs get the goal they so desperately searched for. jury-permitting, JP Pietersen.

The forwards will also have a different look this time around. Flanks Marcell Coetzee and Oupa Mahoje will be replaced by Schalk Burger and Francois Louw; Lood de Jager is likely to be in the second row for Victor Matfield; and Coenie Oosthuizen, who started in Cardiff at tighthead, will be on the bench for either Frans Malherbe or Jannie du Plessis, with the latter facing a fitness test on his suspect knee early this week.