Celtic run rings around pitiful Bucs

Orlando Pirates' awful league campaign was summed up by this 1-0 loss to Bloemfontein Celtic, who put in a flawless performance at Free State Stadium yesterday.

Celtic's Gabadinho Mhango scored a worthy first-half winner, but the hosts should have walked away with more goals.

Nonetheless, the win was important for their top eight ambitions, as it moved them from ninth to sixth on the log, together with Pirates on 40 points.

Celtic had a strong grip on the game from kick-off and were strides ahead of Pirates on the park. Their passing was more purposeful and they looked dangerous whenever they approached the final third.

Musa Nyatama was the catalyst for everything good they created and Mhango was the spark that set everything alight.

The goal, which came in the 27th minute, was just reward, especially for Mhango. The Malawian turned Pirates defender Siyabonga Sangweni inside out after receiving a testing cross-field pass from Vuyani Ntanga.

The striker stuck the ball with his left foot into the top corner, giving Senzo Meyiwa in the Pirates' goal no chance.

It was a goal that required control, boldness and accuracy. Sangweni's lack of match fitness betrayed him as he was often a step or two behind the attackers.

He needed to be firm with Mhango in the box to prevent the 21-year-old from opening an angle to take the shot.

To be fair to Sangweni, he wasn't the only one whose legs looked like they were on public holiday.

Sifiso Myeni offered Pirates little in attack. Neither did Thamsanqa Gabuza, who could be the front- runner for the worst buy of the season, having gone the entire campaign without a goal after signing from Golden Arrows.

The target man had a whiff of goal after receiving a first-time pass from Daine Klate in the first half but he scuffed the shot.

Thabo Matlaba, who played as though he had a second set of lungs, was the standout player in black. He put in the crosses down the right and he covered for Sangweni and Rooi Mahamutsa when they were caught on their heels.

Thandani Ntshumayelo was stern in the centre of midfield but he could not stop Nyatama from finding Lerato Lamola and Mhango up front.

The more that the Bucs went forward looking for the equaliser, the more it looked like they would get caught on the break.

Pirates brought on Tlou Segolela and Lennox Bacela for Myeni and Gabuza. They got close to drawing level twice in three minutes through Ayanda Gcaba headers.

Mhango had to clear the first effort off his goal line. Then, from a Klate free-kick, the Celtic defence had to scramble the ball clear after Gcaba nodded it back into the danger zone.