In terms of goalmouth action, the first 15 minutes was nothing to write home about, but one could sense that the match did start to take a turn when the Students’ central defender, Timothy Batabaire, hobbled off the field injured in the eight minute.

Consequently Batabaire was replaced by long injury absentee Neil Winstanley, which seemed to unsettle the Wits defence a bit and that was none more evident than when they conceded the game’s first goal in the 16th minute.

Cecil Oerson whipped in a free-kick from the left side of the 18-yard box and as the Students defence failed to clear the danger the loose ball fell to Wellington Sambu. The Phunya Sele Sele defender didn’t hesitate, lashing out with a powerful shot that found its way into the bottom right hand of the goal, 1-0.

Things then got worse for Roger de Sa’s men as his side conceded their second goal only two minutes later. This time Tlou Segolela was the provider with a cross from the left that found Excellent Walaza unmarked inside the 18 yard box. Walaza did brilliantly to control the ball before providing a clinical finish from only six yards out to double Celtic’s lead, 2-0.

Then in another bizarre injury incident Celtic suffered a casualty: Michael Khaile was stretchered off in the 23rd minute and replace by Mokete Tsotetsi.

This didn’t seem to disrupt the Phunya Sele Sele, however, as they nearly scored their third goal in the 34th minute. Walaza would have grabbed his second goal had it not have been for the brilliance of Francis Chansa in the Wits goal, diving full stretch to his right to tip the effort around the post for a corner-kick.

Celtic continued to dominate the remainder of the half and Wits, on the other hand, were glad to here the half time whistle.

The Students would have to produce something special to pull this game out of the fire and almost did three minutes into the second half when Calvin Kadi found himself in a one-on-one situation with the Celtic goalkeeper. Patrick Tignyemb, however, was in no mood to beaten spreading himself wide to deny the Wits striker.

Wits’ comeback, however, was short-lived and Celtic virtually sealed the three points when Cecil Oerson added his side’s third goal in the 55th minute. A fine passing movement by Phunya Sele Sele saw Oerson in some space 12 yards out from goal. Consequently, Chansa was unable to stop Oerson’s powerful shot, 3-0.

From there on out, try as they might, Wits could not find their way back into the game despite a late charge in the final ten minutes of the match. Overall Celtic looked rather comfortable and in control. They never really looked in danger of conceding a goal on the night in an impressive performance.

Bloemfontein Celtic (2) 3 (Sambu 16’, Walaza 18’, Oerson 55’)
Bidvest Wits 0

Celtic: (4-4-2) Tignyemb; Sambu, Goldstone, Khaile (Tsotetsi 23’), Motlhaping; Nthethe (Nhlapo 75’), Oerson, Olomu (Spandeel 60’), Segolela; Walaza, Kanono

Wits: (4-5-1) Chansa; Shabalala (Da Silva 57’), Batabaire (Winstanley 7’), Mashamaite, Richards; Hills (Zamaio 73’), Haskins, Morton, Vilakazi, Myeni; Kadi