Ever-improving Bloemfontein Celtic drew 1-1 with Ajax Cape Town in a tough Castle Premiership League encounter played at Vodacom Park Stadium on Sunday.
Celtic’s defender and captain Lehlohonolo Seema led by example, scoring a brilliant goal for his team in the 57th minute as the strikers squandered several scoring opportunities with only the visitors’ goalkeeper, Moeneeb Joseph, to beat.
Seema fired a long, powerful shot, beating Joseph to the far posts after cutting out a move by Ajax players in the middle of the pitch. The goal sent Phunya Sele Sele’s faithful into raptures.
But the hosts’ fans joy was short-lived as Zimbabwean international Wilfred Mugeyi cancelled out the lead, netting the equaliser in the 66th minute.
Ajax’s striker beat an offside trap and tapped in with ease after a visionary pass from Tsholola Tshinyama.
The goal spurred Gordon Igesund’s charges on to increase the tally, but Mugeyi squandered an opportunity before Nhlanhla Tshabalala missed the target with a header with Celtic’s goalie, Moetsoeng Gopane, badly positioned.
Igesund looked much relieved sharing a point, but Celtic’s technical team of Benjamin Reed and Tony de Nobrega were disappointed, watching as their strikers failed to capitalise on numerous scoring chances.
Collins Chabalala missed a gilt-edged scoring chance in the early stages when he opted to dribble instead of firing past an oncoming ‘keeper after outpacing Ajax defenders.
Later on in the first segment of the game, Moses Spandeel also had a good chance but opted for the same idea as Chabalala did.
Chabalala tried to atone for his mistakes when he fired into the side net in the second stanza — leaving his bench disappointed.
Ajax almost grabbed the lead in the dying minutes via Mfundo Shumana, but Gopane thwarted his attempt to keep his side on level terms. — Sapa