The team has experienced one of their best seasons to date and find themselves lying fourth, just three points shy of the current leaders, Mamelodi Sundowns.

On Sunday Celtic made a big statement by thrashing their provincial rivals, Free State Stars, 3-0 in the Free State derby to record their fifth league win of the season. Sundowns (7) and Cape Town City FC (5) are the only two other teams to have won five or more league games thus far.

The road to the top will be exceptionally difficult for Phunya Sele Sele, however, by no means impossible. Celtic will be travelling to Tshwane this week where they will lock horns with Pitso Mosimane's Sundowns.

Over the past few season Celtic have been somewhat of a bogey side for the Brazilians and they do tend to leave the capital city with a positive result.

On their return to the City of Roses, Celtic will host SuperSport United in what will also be the very last game of the year. Yet again, Celtic will be confident of beating Eric Tinkler's charges after knocking Matsatsantsa a Pitori out of the Telkom Knockout earlier in the season.

The Celtic coach, Veselin Jelušic, said the target in maximum points heading into the festive break.

"We will try our very best again. We have two very tough games. Sundowns are one of the best teams in the country, but we don't have anything to lose in the game, so it can be a very open game. Of course, after that we've got SuperSport at home. We will again try to win the game. Again, they are also a very good team, but we will try just our best."

Celtic has experienced somewhat of a renaissance under the guidance of the Serbian mentor, and it perhaps his simple philosophy of not pressuring the team too much for results that have led to their success this season.

One this is for sure, whether Celtic win or lose against either the Brazilians or SuperSport, the Siwelele faithful will be singing into the festive break.

Sundowns will host Celtic on Saturday afternoon with kick-off at Loftus Versfeld at 15:30. Next week Wednesday Phunya Sele Sele will be hosting SuperSport at the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium with kick-off at 19:30.

Morgan Piek OFM Sport