Result: Bloemfontein Celtic 1-1 Bidvest Wits
Date: 27 August 2020
Venue: Absa Tuks Stadium
Bidvest Wits' struggles in the Absa Premiership bio-bubble continued after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Bloemfontein Celtic on Thursday afternoon.
Wits were boosted by the return of Cole Alexander and Deon Hotto while Celtic made wholesale changes, with Ryan De Jongh, Siphelele Luthuli and Given Mashikinya all recalled alongside rare starts for Thato Lingwati and Jorry Matjila.
The Clever Boys grabbed the lead in just the third minute with a penalty dispatched by Keegan Ritchie, after Wandisile Letlabika had brought down Terrence Dzvukamanja inside the box.
Ndumiso Mabena came close to levelling matters for Siwelele in the tenth minute with a low dipping strike from a free-kick on the edge of the box but shot-stopper Ricardo Goss parried his effort away back into play and Celtic could not capitalise on a rebound.
John Maduka's charges were unlucky not to equalise in the 25th minute after Luthuli's side-footed shot from the centre of the six-yard box hit the bottom post and Sera Motebang's shot on a rebound was saved by Goss.
Celtic were also given a penalty ten minutes before the break after Lorenzo Gordinho pushed down Mabena, who was going clear inside the box and the veteran striker levelled matters with a powerful low strike, with Goss going the right way but unable to keep it out, 1-1.
Gavin Hunt made a double change at half-time, giving youngster Mpho Mathebula a run in place of Thabang Monare in midfield while Mxolisi Macuphu replaced Rowan Human upfront.
Mathebula almost restored the lead for Wits just before the hour-mark with a shot from outside the box that was saved by Chaine while Phathutshedzo Nange went close with an acrobatic over-head kick inside the box that missed the far post slightly wide.
The sides were lacking a sense of urgency in the closing phase and Maduka made a change in the last eight minutes, bringing on Tebogo Potsane to add some spark in attack in place of Motebang before Wits brought on Kgaogelo Sekgota two minutes later in place of Hotto.
Sekgota gave Wits some needed spark in his late cameo but Celtic were firm at the back and managed to hold on for the point, with the Clever Boys remaining in fourth while Siwelele grabbed a top-eight spot.
Celtic: 31. Chaine, 5. Letlabika, 3. Mahashe, 13. Luthuli, 10. Mabena, 18. Mashikinya, 9. Sera, 34. Fikizolo, 20. De Jongh, 19. Matjila, 24. Lingwati.
Subs: 16. Mabokgwane, 44. Mofokeng, 25. Chabalala, 12. Maema, 11. Potsane, 21. Letsoalo, 8. Phalane, 36. Nyamende, 27. Tchilimbou.
Wits: 23. Goss; 27. Ritchie, 29. Gordinho, 3. Hlatshwayo, 24. Macheke, 17. Alexander, 8. Monare, 14. Nange, 31. Human, 11. Hotto, 37. Dzvukamanja.
Subs: 16. Mhlongo, 10. Domingo, 13. Hlanti, 28. Macuphu, 33. Phillips, 36. Sekgota, 38. Mathebula, 39. September, 41. Mlonyeni.
