ABSA Premiership
Result: Mpumalanga Black Aces 1-1 Bloemfontein Celtic
Date: 25 September 2013
Venue: Mbombela Stadium
Lerato Manzini grabbed an injury-time equalizer as Bloemfontein Celtic and Mpumalanga Black Aces drew 1-1 this evening at the Mbombela Stadium.
Black Aces thought they had all three points, after a first-half goal from Mabhuti Khenyeza gave them the lead, but Manzine's sucker-punch, seconds before the final whistle, saw both teams walk away with one point only.
The impressive Thabo Qalinge had an early chance for Black Aces in the 8th minute after he ran down the left before cutting in field and beating two defenders, but his shot flew wide to the right.
Bloem Celtic had their first chance at goal in the 13th minute after a good move through the middle but Lerato Lamola's final shot went went straight at Bafana Nhlapo in the Aces' goal.
In the 27th minute Joel Mogorosi made a good run down the right but his cross was well dealt with by Nhlapo, as he dived on the ball in front of the Celtic strikers.
Omar Hendricks tried a long range effort from a set piece in the 30th minute, but his shot went too high, and two minutes later Clifford Ngobeni tried a long range shot but it went wide.
In the 36th minute Lamola tried a bicycle kick from the edge of the box, but miscued it and it went well wide.
A minute later Qalinge had a shot on the other end, but Patrick Tignyemb had it covered, and then Musa Nyatama had another chance for Celtic, but his shot went across the goal and wide.
In the 38th minute a defensive error saw AmaZayoni regain possession and Mabhuti Khenyeza opened the scoring, hitting a good volley from the edge of the box and beating a diving Tingyemb to make it 1-0, and that's how the score remained at half-time.
In the opening minute of the second-half Ngobeni tried a long range volley but the shot was easily dealt with by Tingyemb.
In the 57th minute Mogorosi tried an ambitious long range attempt but it was never on target and sailed out wide.
In the 65th minute Qalinge had a great chance from just inside the box, after the ball was rolled into his path, but his shot went high into the stands.
Celtic came close to equalizing in the 68th minute, but Limbikani Mzava's header bounced off the crossbar, and Lerato Manzine missed the target.
Tshidiso Tukane tried a long range effort in the 74th minute but his shot went high and wide, while seconds later Roderick Mutuma tried a volley on the other end but it was never on target.
In the 86th minute Tukane had another chance from outside the box, but his shot went wide to the left.
John Arwuah had a chance in the 90th minute to grab an equalizer for Celtic, but his header from a free kick went well wide.
With just seconds left on the clock, Lerato Manzini grabbed the equalizer, finishing after Tumelo Mogapi crossed the ball across the goalmouth.
Read: Aces v Celtic In Numbers
Mpumalanga Black Aces: Bafana Nhlapo, Omar Hendricks, Abel Mabaso, Eduardo Ferreira, Method Mwanjale, Thabo Qalinge, Zamuxolo Ngalo, Ofentse Nato, Themba Zwane, Abia Nale, Mahbuti Khenyeza
Bloemfontein Celtic: Patrick Tignyemb, Tumelo Mogapi, Thabo Nthethe, Letsie Koapeng, Limbikani Mzava, Clayton Daniels, John Arwuah, Lerato Lamola, Musa Nyatama, Vuyani Ntanga, Joel Mogorosi
By: Soccer-Laduma
Follow us on Twitter:@Soccer_Laduma
