Kaizer Chiefs 1-1 Bloemfontein Celtic: Amakhosi suffer more disappointment

Kaizer Chiefs 1-1 Bloemfontein Celtic: Amakhosi suffer more disappointment

Kaizer Chiefs failed to capitalise on their early dominance against Bloemfontein Celtic at the FNB Stadium on Saturday evening and had to settle for a 1-1 league draw.

The Soweto side had looked determined to take all three points as they made a bright start and scored after only seven minutes through Anthony Agay. But it wasn’t to be as the Free State team fought back in the second half and equalised in the 67th minute through Tumelo Mangweni.

With recent disappointing results in mind, Amakhosi needed a confident start and that’s what transpired as they quickly got onto the front foot after the kick off.

And with just six minutes played, their efforts bore fruit as Khama Billiat sent in a cross which Agay, left unmarked, headed into the bottom corner.

Chiefs had another chance in the 14th minute when Billiat’s cross located Siyabonga Ngezana, but his effort went wide of goal.

Billiat should really have doubled Chiefs’ lead midway through the first half when he cut inside from the left hand side of the big box but then fired a curling effort narrowly over the goal.

There was also an opportunity for Njabulo Blom on 37 minutes, but his low shot from 20-yards out was comfortably saved by former Orlando Pirates keeper Jackson Mabokgwane.

Chiefs keeper Daniel Akpeyi, brought in to replace the off-form Itumeleng Khune, was meanwhile untested by the time the teams went into the interval.

Following the restart, Celtic came out playing with much more purpose, while the Glamour Boys struggled to keep hold of possession as their overall energy levels appeared to drop.

There was however a chance for Chiefs to extend their lead on the hour mark, but Leonardo Castro was unable to get a decisive touch with the goal at his mercy.

It proved consequential as Phunya Sele Sele equalised just seven minutes later, through half time substitute Mangweni. It was a superbly-taken goal as he did brilliantly to control Ryan de Jongh’s clever ball into the box before finishing with a clinical volley.

The final 25 minutes of the game were played on a knife-edge as both sides probed for a winner while also being wary of losing the match.

On Chiefs’ part though, they continued to struggle to string passes together and they never looked like grabbing a goal, while the visitors appeared happy with the point and also didn’t threaten the Amakhosi goal in the closing minutes of the contest.