Mushekwi grabs hat-trick

they beat Bloemfontein Celtic 3-1 at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
It was always going to be a fiercely contested battle between these two teams as both vied for the fourth place spot on the table and from the get go neither side was willing to give an inch.
The tackles in the middle of the park were was fast and ferocious, but it made for an entertaining game as both teams tried to assert their dominance.
Sundowns, though, being the home side did just manage to edge the contest and were able to create the first decent chance on goal in the 15th minute when Franklin Cale let fly with a powerful 20-yard shot, but the keeper made a good save to deny him.
Three minutes later, though, and there was nothing Patrick Tignyemb could do to prevent his side form going behind.
Cale whipped in a free-kick from the right wing and some poor defending saw Mushekwi unma-rked inside the box as he clinically volley home from six-yards out.
After that ‘Downs took firm control of the match and Mushekwi should really have doubled his side’s lead in the 26th minute.
The Brazilian attacker, though, fluffed his 12-yard shot under no pressure from the defence and allowed Tignyemb to make a comfortable save.
Tignyemb was again called into action a minute before the break as he produced another fantastic save, this time diving full stretch to his left to parry away a 14-yard shot from Matthew Pattison.
The first half was one Celtic would quickly want to forget, but Sundowns were determined to rub salt into their wounds as they found their second goal three minutes into the second stanza.
The referee adjudged Eric Matoho to have pulled down Mabhudi Khenyeza inside the box and duly pointed to the spot. Mushekwi confidently stepped up and slotted the ball home from the penalty spot. After going a second goal down Celtic seemed to spark into life and began creating some attacks of their own. They were eventually rewarded for their efforts when the referee awarded his second spot-kick of the day in the 60th minute. The referee adjudged Innocent Mdledle to have handled the ball inside the box.
Cecil Oerson took on the responsibility for Celtic and he did not disappoint as he powerful fired the ball past Calvin Marlin from the penalty spot.
Two minutes after conceding a goal, though, and Cale nearly extended Sundowns lead to two once again, but his 18-yard shot struck the woodwork.
The final 15 minutes made for some exciting football as Celtic went in search of the equaliser and came bitterly close in the 75th minute when Prince Hlela saw his 20-yard shot parried around the post by Marlin.
However, in the 81st minute Mushekwi put the result beyond doubt when he completed his hat-trick and scored his side’s third goal.
The ‘Downs striker produced a clinical finish from 12-yards out to confirm victory for his team.
The result saw Sundowns finish fourth on the log while Celtic finished in fifth. – Supersport.