Komphela’s Arrows fight back for a point in Bloem

In an evenly balanced game, Celtic scored just before the interval through Kabelo Dlamini, with Arrows equalising 20 minutes into the second half via a Knox Mutizwa free kick and going on to dominate the latter stages of the game as the hosts held on doggedly for the draw.

With the stands uncharacteristically empty – many of the home fans were gathered outside the ground protesting against the club’s precarious financial situation, the first half was rather lacklustre, both teams seemingly happy to hold onto the ball without really trying to hurt the opposition.

The first real opening came in the eighth minute, when Divine Lunga’s cross picked out Lerato Lamola, but he fired straight at goalkeeper Patrick Tingyemb.

The hosts had their first chance in the 15th minute, when striker Ndumiso Mabena went close from six yards out after Arrows stopper Nkosingiphile Gumede had dropped Bongani Sam’s cross.

The contest remained evenly balanced as the two sides fought it out in midfield, with the next goalmouth action only coming in the 43rd minute, when a promising Arrows move ended with Lunga’s shot from a tight angle being saved by Tingyemb.

That was to prove costly as just a minute later Phunya Sele Sele took the lead, a brilliantly-worked team effort ending with Lucky Baloyi finding Dlamini inside the box, the latter doing superbly to make space for the shot before picking out the bottom corner of the net.

Celtic had the chance to extend their lead five minutes after half time when Baloyi got into a good position in the box, but he fired just wide of the top corner.

At just one goal down, Arrows were always in the match, and they were back on level terms in the 64th minute when Mutizwa fired in a low free kick from 20-yards out.

Sniffing all three points, Abafana bes’Thende went on the offensive, and they should have gone in front in the 80th minute when the ball was worked to Danny Venter inside the box, but from 14-yards out he shot over the bar.

The men from Durban kept the pressure on right to the end. But a plucky Celtic side were able to last the remainder of the game without any real threat to their goal, with the point enough to lift them to fifth on the table – despite all the problems the club have had this season.

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