Celtic, Maritzburg in goalless draw

Football | Absa Premiership

Bloemfontein Celtic and Maritzburg United played to a goalless draw at the Kaizer Sebothelo Stadium on Sunday afternoon in their Absa Premiership encounter.
The match was an ironic encounter on both benches with Celtic now being coached by the experienced German mentor Ernst Middendorp and Clinton Larsen now heading the United dug-out. Both men were long time coaches of their opponents as recent as last month.
The Maritzburg duo of Bandile Shandu and Ayanda Nkosi missed the match through matric and university exams while Rheece Evans was out injured. Exciting youngster Thapelo Morena made his PSL debut for Celtic up front.
Celtic could have taken the lead in the second minute of the match when two United defenders went to sleep and allowed Vuyani Ntanga to sneak in, but his shot from close range was saved by goalkeeper Shu-Aib Walters with brilliant reflexes.

The home side again pilled pressure on United and in the 14th minute Musa Nyatama had a double opportunity to open the scoring. The midfielder unleashed a long range shot which Walters superbly saved, but it wasn’t parried away from danger and the ball was recycled which resulted in Nyatama firing wide from close range as he let his former side off the hook.
Celtic missed a glorious chance in the 30th minute when John Arwuah teed up Lerato Manzini, but the striker failed to slide the ball home from close range in front of an open net.
The home fans were on their feet in the 48th minute when Celtic pierced through the United defence and the ball ended falling into the path of debutant Morena, but the grade 11 student saw his effort from just inside the box rattle the crossbar.
Five minutes later Nyatama left his marker for dead with blistering pace, but with only the keeper to beat he saw his shot from the edge of the box narrowly going wide.
Seven minutes before the final whistle the Team of Choice nearly stole the three points when their Ghanaian striker Yakubu Mohammed connected with a cross and headed wide of goal from just inside the box. The match finished 0-0 as neither coach could get the advantage over their former employers.
Bloemfontein Celtic (0) 0
Maritzburg United (0) 0
Celtic: Tignyemb, Mahoa, Nthethe, Daniels, Mzava, Aruwah, Morena (Jooste 74’), Ntanga (Gamildien 58’), Nyatama, Buchanan (Mogorosi 46’), Manzini
United: Walters, Petersen, Awal, M Booysen, Matuka, Mkhize, De Jongh, Sheppard (Hartog 57’), Sarfo-Gyamfi (Zulu 55’), Sekotlong, Yakubu (Morton 84’)