The Amakhosi played to their first draw of the season as they were held to a goalless draw by Bloemfontein Celtic in an Absa Premiership clash at the Seisa Ramabodu Stadium on Saturday evening, in a game of contrasting domination Chiefs held the upper-hand in the first half while Celtic held sway in the second stanza.

The game was three minutes old when Itumeleng Khune plucked a shot in anger from Phengo Mongala out of the air, it would be the only time the Chiefs keeper was really tested in the first half as his teammates dominated play from then on.

Chiefs carved out a good scoring opportunity on 14 minutes after a corner from right went across goal and was kept, the ball eventually reached Letsholonyane who swung it in and found Ngcobo who high and flicked it over Patrick Tignyemb and over the goal as well.

In the 25th minute it took a desperate flick from Kgotos Moleko to turn away Jimmy Tau’s cross from the right, Majoro was lurking behind the Celtic defender.

Just past the half hour mark Chiefs created a host of opportunities in quick succession, the first of which saw Siphiwe Tshabalala send a delightful ball from just past the half way line towards Majoro, who out sprinted Thabo Nthethe and with Tignyemb off his line the Chiefs striker tried lifting the ball over the Celtic keeper but sent his shot inches over the cross bar.

In the 32nd minute Majoro’s shot from the edge of the Celtic 18 yard area was deflected goal wards and Tignyemb scampered back to push the ball out for a corner, from which Tshabalala played a quick one two and received the return ball before sending it back into the danger area where Mashamaite headed the ball down wards. The ball again failing to hit the mark as it bounced over the goal.

On the stroker of half time Lennox Bacela’s cross from left found Mongala on the opposite end of the Chiefs 18 yard area, he stabbed the ball back across goal Tinashe Nengomasha intercepted it and cleared the danger.

Celtic came alive in the second half and six minutes after the restart Matoho glided through the Chiefs defence, but was halted by Zhaimu Jambo who hacked the ball away, only as far as a Celtic player who send the ball back in.

Under pressure from Matoho Khune spilled the ball and Jambo again stepped in this time sending the ball way up field with a powerful clearance, two minutes later Mongala sent in a lower cross from the left by line. Although Mulenga made contact he side footed the ball wide.

For Chiefs Letsholonyane had a driven shot at goal in the 58th minute and shortly thereafter Tshablala drilled a shot into the side-net.

On 73 minutes Khune came off his line to intercept a free kick from the left in floated in by Moses Spandeel , he was unable to gather the ball and it fell to the feet of Mongala who with the goal at his mercy scooped the ball over.

A minute before time Tshabalala ran through the defense rolled the ball wide to his left where Lebese was waiting for him, he in turn sent the ball back Tshabalala who with the Tignyemb stranded sent the ball over goal with his stronger left foot.

Line Up’s:

Celtic: 30. Tignyemb, 20. Moleko, 34. Mathoho, 2. Nthethe, 18. Hlela, 7. Mshengu (11. Spandeel 60’), 26. Madubanya, 6. Kerspuy, 8. Mongala ( 23. Gamildien 90+2), 10. Mulenga, 15. Bacela (7. Mafokeng 61’)

Cautions: 8. Phenyo Mongala 44’, 10. Clifford Mulenga 78’

Coach: Clinton Larsen

Chiefs: 32. Khune, 2. Tau, 3. Sweswe, 4. Mashamaite, 29. Jambo, 9. Dladla (35. Baloyi 67’), 8. Nengomasha, 6. Letsholonyane, 14. Tshabalala, 23. Ngcobo (17. Lebese 87’), 20. Majoro (11. Nale 72’)

Cautions: 8. Tinashe Nengomasha 61’, 4. Tefu Mashamaite 66’, 29. Zhaimu Jambo 80’

Coach: Vladimir Vermezovic


Assistant Coach: Donald ‘Ace’ Khuse


Goalkeeper Coach: Rainer Dinkelacker