adminKAIZER Chiefs hammered Bloemfontein Celtic 4-1 in a highly entertaining Macufe Cup clash at a packed Free State Stadium yesterday.
Zimbabwean winger Edmore Chirambadare volleyed Chiefs into an emphatic first-minute lead, and the Glamour Boys never looked back after such a fine start.
There were only 50 seconds on the clock when Chirambadare thumped home a left-footed volley from just inside the area after Siphiwe Tshabalala’s corner-kick was weakly punched by goalkeeper Ayanda Mtshali.
Then Tshabalala got onto the score sheet just 10 minutes later, receiving Bernard Parker’s perfect square ball from the left before composing himself and curling a beautiful shot into the top-left corner, in off the fingertips of a diving Mtshali to make it 2-0.
It was an exciting, end-to-end game in front of a packed stadium, and the Khosi fans had more to cheer about in first-half stoppage time when Parker netted Chiefs’ third from the penalty spot after Cheslyn Jampies was adjudged to have barged over Lucky Baloyi in the area.
Celtic made two changes at the start of the second half as Fiston Abdoul and Sibusiso Mxoyana replaced Kabelo Mahlasela and Vuyisile Wana, and the move paid dividends just six minutes after the restart when Abdoul scrambled a goal back for Celtic following good work by Musa Nyatama to keep the chance alive.
But Chiefs restored their three-goal cushion in fine style in the 58th minute as Keagan Buchanan, making his way back after a long injury layoff, played a one-two with Baloyi on the edge of the area and slotted home with aplomb, into the bottom-right corner.
The rest of the game produced a number of substitutions as both coaches made use of the friendly nature of the contest, and there was more open and attacking football played right until the final whistle, but with no further goals.
Teams
Bloemfontein Celtic: Mtshali, Rikhotso (Ndengane 61’), Letlabika, Jampies, Molekwane, Phalane, Nyatama, Mahlasela (Abdoul 46’), Zuma (K Masuku 62’), Masana (Mvula 66’), Wana (Mxoyana 46’)
Kaizer Chiefs: Khuzwayo, Moleko, Cardoso, Xulu (Gordinho 72’), Masilela (Khumalo 79’), Baloyi, Buchanan (Katsande 68’), Chirambadare (Lebese 59’), Tshabalala, Parker (Twala 77’), Manqele (Ekstein 59’). — Kick-Off
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