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Soccer

Ten man Highlands Park down Celtic

───   MORGAN PIEK 06:50 Tue, 18 Dec 2018

Ten man Highlands Park down Celtic | News Article
Mothobi Mvala and Kabelo Dlamini - Morgan Piek

The Tembisa-based Premier Soccer League team, Highlands Park, earned first away win of the season yesterday when they beat Bloemfontein Celtic 2-1 at the Dr. Petrus Molemela Stadium.


The Lions of the North beat Celtic win ten-men thanks to goals by Mothobi Mvala in the 32nd minute and Peter Shalulile 61st minute.

Celtic would have felt that there was a chance when the Highlands Park defender Phoka Mofokeng was shown a somewhat dubious red card by Victor Gomes in the 51st minute for a foul on Ndumiso Mabena just outside the box.

Kabelo Dlamini scored from consolation goal for Celtic from a free-kick in the 64th minute, but it was too little to prevent a third straight defeat by Phunya Sele Sele.

The former Celtic coach, Owen de Gama, told OFM Sport that they came to Bloemfontein prepared.

“I think that the analysts and the technical team worked really well in understanding what Bloemfontein Celtic is all about.

“We planned from a tactical perspective. We understood that Menzi Masuka wants to get in-between the lines, and the same with Kabelo Dlamini. We knew that there will be a lot of overlapping from Bongani Sam, and Mbhazima Rikhotso not so much.

“We felt that Lantshene Phalane would drop and make deep passes.

“We tried to counter it, but they are a good team. They are a very good team and they can play. Their position of the log bares testament to it.

“For us, it was all about grit, it was all about building a foundation of a team with players that will die on that pitch, no matter what.

“In all fairness, they say that this was our first away win, but with a little bit of experience we could have beaten Baroka away, and we could have beaten Polokwane away. There is no doubt about that.

“In saying that, we did take a team from the National First Division, a lot of players made the step-up easily and a lot of players need a little more time. We are finding our feel, but how sweet are these victories. Even sweeter is the fighting spirit of our boys.”

Celtic face Cape Town City at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday in their final game of the year.

@MorganPiek OFM Sport

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