Absa Premiership
Result: Bloemfontein Celtic 3-1 Kaizer Chiefs
Date: 19 August 2020
Venue: Absa Tuks Stadium
The Absa Premiership title race remains wide open after Kaizer Chiefs suffered a 3-1 loss at the hands of Bloemfontein Celtic on Wednesday night.
Amakhosi coach rewarded the players that changed the game from the bench against Polokwane City, as Ramahlwe Mphahlele, Willard Katsande and Bernard Parker all started alongside the return of Leonardo Castro.
Siwelele had a chance to go ahead in the ninth minute after Victor Letsoalo carved out a pocket of space on the edge of the box to unleash a low strike that was parried away by Akpeyi at full stretch.
Chiefs came close to grabbing the lead midway through the first stanza after Erick Mathoho got to the end of a free-kick at the near post but his header was saved by shot-stopper Sipho Chaine, who was on hand to deny Castro with another fine save on 33 minutes.
Amakhosi eventually got the breakthrough two minutes later from another corner by Billiat, as Mathoho leaped the highest inside the box and headed home against his former side.
However, Celtic levelled matters on the stroke of half-time after Motebang Sera got on the end of a low cross from Sifiso Ngobeni that evaded Akpeyi at the back post and struck home from close range with outstretched leg.
Siwelele had a bright start in the second stanza after taking the lead through Sera three minutes after the break when Mathoho miscued a clearance, which allowed the Lesotho striker to fire past Akpeyi.
Samir Nurkovic came close to levelling matters for Chiefs a minute later as he spotted Chaine off his line and lobbed a shot from outside the box that bounced on the top side of the crossbar.
Middendorp needed inspiration from the bench in the 64th minute, as he brought on Dumisani Zuma in place of Parker as the league leaders went in search of the equaliser.
However, Celtic grabbed a third goal in the last quarter of an hour after Letsoalo sliced through the Chiefs defence on the left to go clear inside the box before firing past Akepyi.
Harris Tchilimbou had a wonderful chance to make it 4-1 for Celtic in the last three minutes after going through on goal but his chipped effort sailed wide of the mark as the Free State outfit secured a vital win while Chiefs miss the chance to move nine points clear of Mamelodi Sundowns.
Here's how they lined up:
Celtic: 31. Chaine, 5. Letlabika, 3. Mahashe, 21. Letsoalo, 10. Mabena, 25. Chabalala, 9. Sera, 34. Fikizolo, 8. Phalane, 35. Baloyi, 26. Ngobeni.
Subs: 32. Mpoto, 18. Mashikinya, 13. Luthuli, 12. Maema, 11. Potsane, 17. Ndou, 24. Lingwati, 50. Masuku, 27. Tchilimbou.
Chiefs: 43. Akpeyi, 2. Mphahlele, 4. Cardoso, 3. Mathoho, 31. Katsande, 5. Agay, 21. Manyama, 25. Parker, 11. Billiat, 8. Castro, 9. Nurkovic.
Subs: 44. Bvuma, 5. Baccus, 39. Frosler, 7. Kambole, 20. Sasman, 10. Ntshangase, 22. Zulu, 21. Zuma, Sifama.
