Citizens return to winning ways
CAPE TOWN CITY returned to winning ways in the Premiership at the Athlone Stadium yesterday as first-half goals by Thabo Nodada and Bradley Ralani sealed a 2-0 home victory over Bloemfontein Celtic.
The Citizens’ sixth win from 23 matches moved them up two places to 10th on the log standings on 27 points, while Phunya Sele Sele stay ninth on 28 points.
Celtic dominated proceedings from the first whistle and threatened down both flanks but without being able to fire a shot in the direction of City’s tall Dutch goalkeeper Peter Leeuwenburgh who watched on as his four-man defence held firm through the 15-minute mark.
The hosts offered up some resistance when robbing the men from the Free State of the ball but weren’t able to force the issue in the final third.
But that all changed in the 22nd minute when midfilelder Nodada broke the deadlock with a superb right-footed shot from just outside the penalty area that left Celtic shot-stopper Jackson Mabokgwane clutching at air as the ball flew past him into the back of the net.
The home side piled on the pressure, forcing the visitors onto the back foot and feeling the heat on a chilly afternoon. But they weathered the storm and came close to grabbing the equaliser through hardworking rightwing Tebogo Potsane, who got away a shot from an acute angle that only just went wide of the target.
He had another chance a few minutes later but before he could make a charge at Leeuwenburgh he was halted in his tracks by rightback Craig Martin, who earlier on had gone on the charge deep into enemy territory and was denied a chance to double the lead when shoved off the ball by a backtracking Celtic defender.
City made it 2-0 through Ralani in the 45th minute, the leftwinger calmly slotting the ball into the back of the net after some neat -interplay initiated by Shane Roberts from inside the 18-yard box.
Phunya Sele Sele, who arrived in the Mother City off a 2-1 home win over struggling Baroka FC that zapped a four-game winless run, had it all to do in the 45 minutes that remained and showed a desire to make a fist of it and give their singing supporters something to cheer about, but their long-ball attacks into the Citizens’ half were easily dealt with. Leeuwenburgh was, however, forced into making a save from close range to deny former City player Given Mashikinja.
The hosts seemed content to sit back and allow Celtic to come at them and never wavered as a collective as the minutes ticked by.
It is a much-needed victory and three valuable log points for City, and they got just that by dishing up a classy performance.