Bloemfontein Celtic v Maritzburg United

Absa Premiership, Round 4

Seisa Ramabodu Stadium, Bloemfontein

Wednesday 14 September 2011

19h30 kick-off

Match background

Bloemfontein Celtic will be looking to get back to winning ways in the Absa Premiership when they host Maritzburg United on Wednesday evening. The match takes place at the Seisa Ramabodu Stadium, kick-off at 19h30.

Celtic, heading into their last league game against Platinum Stars, were top of the league standings thanks to back-to-back wins over Golden Arrows (3-0 away) and Black Leopards (2-0 home).

However, they came unstuck away to Stars and went down 2-1 at the hands of former coach Owen da Gama. The defeat saw Phunya Sele Sele drop down to fifth on the standings.

Nonetheless, six points from their opening three fixtures still represents a good return for coach Clinton Larsen and his charges, and they will be looking to make it three wins from four when the Team of Choice arrive in the Free State.

Maritzburg United may only be placed in mid-table, but they are in fact one of just five teams who have yet to suffer a defeat this season. The Pietermaritzburg team have generally been relegation candidates in recent years, but their class of 2011/12 appears to be far more proficient, based on early evidence.

In their last outing they beat defending champions Orlando Pirates 2-1. Many critics claim they benefitted from some dubious officiating in the match, but taking three points off the Soweto giants is a feat to be respected, regardless of circumstance.

Head-to-head stats suggest that Celtic start the game as favourites: in 10 league games between the sides since 2005/06, the Bloemfontein club have claimed four wins and suffered just two defeats. Their home record against Maritzburg is also solid, having lost just once from five matches.

Last season Celtic took four points off the Team of Choice, defeating them 2-0 in Bloemfontein – thanks to goals from Prince Olomu (who now plays for United) and Moses Spandeel – and drawing 0-0 in the return game in KwaZulu-Natal.

Home advantage makes Phunya Sele Sele favourites for this match, but undefeated Maritzburg United will be out to prove that their solid start to the season has been no fluke.

Previous meetings

2005/06 Maritzburg 0-1 Celtic Nkosi

2005/06 Celtic 4-1 Maritzburg Spandeel 3 (1 pen), Kukame; Musasa

2006/07 Maritzburg 0-0 Celtic

2006/07 Celtic 1-1 Maritzburg Mubiala; Musasa

2008/09 Celtic 0-0 Maritzburg

2008/09 Maritzburg 3-1 Celtic Mngomezulu, Davids, Tsabedze; Mahlatsi

2009/10 Maritzburg 2-4 Celtic Obada, Davids; Olomu, Motlhaping 2, Ndlovu

2009/10 Celtic 0-2 Maritzburg Bester, Lentjies

2010/11 Celtic 2-0 Maritzburg Olomu, Spandeel

2010/11 Maritzburg 0-0 Celtic

Fixtures and results

Bloemfontein Celtic

2011/12 Absa Premiership results

No Date H/A Opponent (HT) Result Goal scorers

1 13/08/11 A Arrows (1-0) W 3-0 Mshengu 33’, Mulenga 50’ 53’

2 16/08/11 H Leopards (1-0) W 2-0 Spandeel 13’, Kekana 64’

3 24/08/11 A P Stars (0-2) L 1-2 Bacela 78’ pen

League position – 5th

P W D L GF GA GD Pts

Home 1 1 0 0 2 0 +2 3

Away 2 1 0 1 4 2 +2 3

Overall 3 2 0 1 6 2 +4 6

Maritzburg United

2011/12 Absa Premiership results

No Date H/A Opponent (HT) Result Goal scorers

1 14/08/11 H Wits (0-1) D 2-2 Sibisi 73’ pen, Matle 77’

2 17/08/11 A Ajax (0-1) D 1-1 Davids 78’

3 24/08/11 H Pirates (0-1) W 2-1 Sibisi 49’, Diouf 77’

League position – 8th

P W D L GF GA GD Pts

Home 2 1 1 0 4 3 +1 4

Away 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 1

Overall 3 1 2 0 5 4 +1 5