Never ahead during the 120 minutes of play and staring defeat in the face with only seconds of the scheduled 90 minutes remaining, Bloemfontein Celtic produced the great escape of the Premier Soccer League season when they qualified for the Absa Cup quarterfinals at Vodacom Park on Sunday via a 3-2 penalty shoot-out advantage over Orlando Pirates.
It was an audacious act of soccer larceny as the never-say-die Celtic made the score 2-2 in the 90th minute through an inspired headed goal from Zambian international central defender Sashi Chalwe. The seething, near-capacity stadium was a scene of frenzied jubilation as ”Captain Courageous” John Maduka completed the Bloemfontein team’s triumph with the last kick of the penalty shoot-out.
The teams had started the traditionally tense shoot-out still level at 2-2, but the ill-fated Buccaneers seemed to be courting another in a string of disasters when Lucas Thwala ballooned the first spot kick over the crossbar.
Pirates’ penalty-taking overall was no better than amateurish, with only two of the five kicks converted and Celtic able to sneak off with the spoils, although they squandered two penalties themselves.
Pirates went ahead as early as the 10th minute when the ever-alert Benedict Vilakazi pounced on the loose ball after Celtic goalkeeper Postnet Omony fumbled a 30m shot from Lucky Lekgwathi and the diminutive Buccaneers’ captain guided the loose ball into the corner of the net.
Defeat appeared to be staring Celtic in the face when prolific scorer Petros Mahlatsi equalised with a snaking ground shot through a packed goal mouth of defenders in the 73rd minute.
But the 1-1 score line was short-lived, with the darting Vilakazi restoring Pirates’ lead in the 83rd minute and seemingly settling the issue once and for all.
Like true gladiators, however, Celtic seemed to reserve their best soccer for periods when they were trailing — and no one more so, it seemed, than the match-saving Chalwe.
Although the circumstances of their defeat suggested that Pirates deserved a great deal of sympathy for the manner of their demise, Celtic were the more accomplished and skilful team on the bumpy, rugby-designed pitch and cannot be begrudged their victory — particularly as it followed on the 4-0 setback against Kaizer Chiefs and was achieved with a string of injuries.
For all this, the Bloemfontein side enjoyed a measure of good fortune when defender Gary Goldstone elbowed Jabu Mahlangu in the face and bloodied the nose of the weaving Pirates midfielder with what appeared an unpunished red-card offence.
But any sympathy for Mahlangu evaporated when he hacked and crippled Soul Mmethi soon afterwards, and should have been sent off himself.
Other matches
Santos also qualified for the Absa Cup quarterfinals by beating Amazulu 2-0 in a dull game played before a poor crowd at Princess Magogo Stadium on Sunday. The interval score was 2-0.
Playing against the strong wind, proceedings seemed hard for the home team as they found it near impossible to keep possession.
In the ninth minute, Xolani Mabaso of Amazulu missed a golden opportunity of opening scoring after he received a long ball from Themba Mnguni. Instead of going forward, he decided to delay the play and his shot went over the bar.
It took the visitors 18 minute to register the first goal through Thembile Kanono. He received a high ball from Dipsy Selolwane before producing a volley that left Amazulu goalkeeper Tsepo Motsoene stranded between the posts.
The second goal was headed in by Musa Etieno in the 43rd minute after he connected from a corner taken by Koena Mathopa. Before that, Amazulu had almost scored twice in the 32nd and 34th minute but Kagiso Senamela shot straight at Santos goalkeeper Wayne Roberts and Litha Ngxabi’s shot went over the bar.
In the middle of the first half, Magogi Gabonamong failed to connect a cross from Selolwane with only the ‘keeper to beat. In the second half Amazulu introduced John ”Shoes” Moshoeu for Ngxabi. They also brought in McDonald Mukansi and Bulelani Matroos for Sibusiso Ntuli and Nhlanhla Zwane in the 60th and 72nd minutes, respectively.
Santos brought in Robert Auseb, Edries Burton and Jainudeen Lakay for Kanono, Sebastian Bux and Mathopa.
Dynamos also in
Limpopo-based Mvela Golden League’s Dynamos also qualified for the quarterfinals when they beat fellow Mvela campaigners Garankuwa United at Giyani Stadium on Sunday. Both teams were level 1-1 at the half-time interval.
The visitors gave the home side a fright when they scored in the 20th minute through a free kick by striker Vincent Mabusela who made Dynamos goalkeeper Sanudi Swadick look amateurish. The goal awakened the home team who visited United’s goal mouth on several occasion in search of the equaliser that eventually came.
Dynamos striker Joseph Muthombeni cancelled United’s lead in the 38th minute when he received a neat pass from left flank and quickly outjumped United’s defence with a clever header, beating United’s Thabang Maluleke.
Dynamos nearly equalised in the 25th minute when midfielder Ayanda Lumkwane scored a back pass from a United error, but the goal was ruled offside.
As matters looked set for extra time, like the other previous games in the competition thus far, Dynamos striker Joel Nyapuli had his own ideas. He scored the winning goal from a cross by Zweli Selaole and beat Maluleke with a header in referee’s optional time.
Dynamos are the only remaining Mvela team in the competition. — Sapa