It was no more than poetic justice as Wits University moved into third position in the Premier Soccer League log with an entertaining 1-0 win against Bloemfontein Celtic before 5 000 enthusiastic spectators at Bidvest Stadium on Friday night.
The fixture, originally played two weeks ago, was postponed after 57 minutes because of a fierce electric storm, with Wits leading 2-1 and Celtic only coming into contention via a controversial goal scored with half the home team’s players off the pitch celebrating their sensational second goal.
This time, on a balmy summer evening, the only electricity came from a succession of dazzling Wits counter-attacks that could have extended the Students’ victory margin to three or four goals but for some hesitant finishing and desperate defending by the Bloemfontein team.
The only goal of the game was scored with a firmly struck header from the incisive Esau Mtsiwene following a corner by Noah Chivutu in the 24th minute.
The all-important goal through a packed goalmouth was scored with Postnett Omony rooted to his line, but the Celtic goalkeeper changed his tactics after this setback and prevented several similar dangerous situations with swallow-like clearances.
The fluid, slick Celtic combination never gave up the ghost and had Wits at full stretch until the final whistle, but justice was done in the end — if only after the jury had been out for two weeks while the postponed game was ultimately completed.
Wits played without their prolific Brazilian goal scorer Marcos de Jesus, who is completing a suspension, but with assistant coach and former Bafana Bafana stalwart Eric Tinkler directing operations from a central defensive role, the home team’s vocal supporters had a good deal to cheer about.
And Celtic, in a similar mode, demonstrated they have one of the most impressive support bases in the country, with large numbers travelling from Bloemfontein for the game. — Sapa