Wits beat Celtic to keep their title hopes alive

15 January 2020 - 21:46 By SAZI HADEBE At Bidvest Stadium
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Gift Motupa of Bidvest Wits celebrates goal with teammates during the Absa Premiership 2019/20 match between Bidvest Wits and Bloemfontein Celtic at Bidvest Stadium, Johannesburg, on 15 January 2020
Gift Motupa of Bidvest Wits celebrates goal with teammates during the Absa Premiership 2019/20 match between Bidvest Wits and Bloemfontein Celtic at Bidvest Stadium, Johannesburg, on 15 January 2020
Image: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

Gift Motupa’s 85th minutes goal helped Bidvest Wits come from behind and beat Bloemfontein Celtic 3-2 to close the gap on the Absa Premiership log leaders Kaizer Chiefs to 11 points at the Bidvest Stadium on Wednesday night.

Playing against a fast improving Celtic, Wits made a meal of their victory as they missed a number of gilt-edged opportunities before substitute Motupa pounced on a loose ball inside the area to keep the title hopes of Gavin Hunt’s team.

Wits allowed the visitors to take a 2-1 second half lead after coming from a goal down but late goals by substitute Hasheem Domingo (80th minute) and Motupa led the home side to their fourth victory in seven matches to maintain their unbeaten since November 8.

The win puts the fourth placed Wits firmly in contention for the league title as the other result on the night in Orlando, where Pirates beat second-placed Mamelodi Sundowns 1-0, favoured them.

Hunt’s team which still has three games in hand, took a first half 1-0 lead courtesy of Phathutshezo Nange’s 13th minute opener.

Celtic looked frustrated in the first 45 minutes but regained their selves in the second stanza to take a 2-1 lead through Menzi Masuku’s equalizer in the 51st minute and substitute Andile Mafikizolo’s 77th minute strike before Motupa found the winner for Wits with five minutes to go.

Both teams came to this match on top form, with Wits on the upper hand and sitting on the fourth spot on the back of a six-match unbeaten run that was made up of three wins and the equal number of draws.

Celtic, on other hand, were yet to taste defeat in three matches this year having recovered from their 2-1 defeat at home to AmaZulu FC in their final fixture of last year.

Phunya Sele Sele had collected seven points from a possible nine to move to the fifth spot after drawing 1-1 with Orlando Pirates before beating Stellenbosch FC 2-1 away and Black Leopards 4-2 at their home venue in the Free State last weekend.

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