BLOEM CELTIC VS GOLDEN ARROWS | ABSA

Competition: PSL
Date: 17 October 2010
Venue: Seisa Remab Stadium
Kick-off: 15:00

A late goal from Thamsanqa Gabuza in injury time saw Golden Arrows get a share of the points when they drew 1-1 with Bloemfontein Celtic in an Absa Premiership match at the Seisa Ramabodu Stadium in Bloemfontein on Sunday afternoon.

The first 45 minutes saw no side really take control of what was an action-packed half despite no goals being scored.

Both sides did start the game a little slowly, but that was to be expected after not playing for roughly three weeks. They did, however, start to find their stride and produced some good football later on in the match.

The best chance of the half came early though when Bennett Chenene found himself with a great goalscoring opportunity in the eighth minute.

After some neat passing the Celtic player found himself with the ball, unmarked and 12-yards out from goal. His shot, however, was a poor one as he pulled it narrowly wide with the goal at his mercy.

The home side then came closest to finding the opening goal 12 minutes later when Nathan Paulse rose highest to meet a Prince Hlela cross, but his powerful header struck the woodwork and bounced away from danger.

At the other end of the park Patrick Tignyemb was in fine form for Celtic between the sticks. He produced a fantastic save in the 25th minute to deny Arrows’ Vusumuzi Vilakazi.

Vilakazi made his way into the 18-yard box and fired a thunderous shot towards the top right-hand corner of the net, but Tignyemb made a breathtaking save to tip the effort around the post.

Moses Spandeel also came close to breaking the deadlock seven minutes from the break when his 20-yard shot shaved the wrong side of the upright.

The second half saw Celtic dominate matters as they starved Arrows of possession by controlling the midfield. This saw them create chance after chance in front of goal and it was only a matter of time before they took the lead.

That goal came in the 76th minute when Prince Hlela headed home an in-swinging Clifford Mulenga corner-kick. Hlela got to the ball ahead of the Arrows defence and powerfully headed the ball past the keeper to give his side the lead, 1-0.

Thereafter Arrows tried to find their way back into the game and strung together some attacks of their own. Their hopes of finding an equaliser though were dealt a severe blow when Joseph Musonda was sent from the field for a horrible tackle and then some abusive language towards the referee.

Then when the game looked all done and dusted Arrows did manage to find a late dramatic equaliser. In virtually the last move of the game Thamsanqa Gabuza fired his side level from about six yards out after being set through on goal by Njabulo Manqanya, 1-1.

With that goal Arrows, despite being out of the game in the second half, were able to share the spoils on the day.

Bloemfontein Celtic (0) 1 (Hlela 76’)
Golden Arrows (0) 1 (Gabuza 90’)