MTN8 Quarter-final
Full Time: Bidvest Wits 0-0 Bloemfontein Celtic (Bidvest Wits progress 4-3 on penalties)
Date: 1 August 2014
Venue: Bidvest Stadium
A great penalty save from Jackson Mabokgwane saw Bidvest Wits progress into the semi-finals of the MTN8 after beating Bloemfontein Celtic 4-3 in a penalty shootout.
Following a goalless draw after 120 minutes of action in their quarter-final at the Bidvest Stadium on Friday night the game was decided when Limbikani Mzava saw his penalty, Celtic's fifth in the shootout, saved by the fingertips of the Wits goalkeeper.
The opening 45 minutes saw Celtic with the majority of the possession, but for all their domination they continued to waste opportunity after opportunity in front of goal.
In fact, both sides were a little ring rusty in their first competitive game of the season and gave away the ball cheaply due to some woeful passing.
Frank Mhango was Celtic's main threat in attack with his pace and power, but his finishing in front of goal was continuously poor.
Wits saw less of the ball, but had the better of the chances, their first coming in the 17th minute when Henrico Botes met a right wing cross, but his tame header was easily saved.
The best opening of the half fell to the Clever Boys moments before the half time whistle when Sibusiso Vilakazi broke behind the Celtic backline, but his square ball was skewed wide from 14-yards out by Ryan Chapman.
The half ended 0-0.
The second 45 continued in a similar fashion as Celtic started well, but failed to fashion any decent openings in front of goal.
As the half progressed the home side began to take the ascendancy and came close to breaking the deadlock in the 82nd minute when Vilakazi met a right wing cross from Siyabonga Nhlapo, but his 12-yard header was brilliantly saved by Patrick Tignyemb.
Onismor Bhasera could have stolen the win for Wits in the third minute of stoppage time when he fired a shot inches wide of the post from six-yards out.
The 90 minutes ended 0-0 and the game moved into 30 minutes of extra time.
Both sides had their chances in extra time, but neither could find the back of the net due to some horrible finishing.
The closest we came was when Wits' S'boniso Gumede met a corner-kick with a strong header, but his effort ricocheted off the crossbar in the 114th minute.
Extra time ended goalless and Wits ran out winners 4-3 in the penalty shootout.
Here is how they started:
Bidvest Wits: Mabokgwane, Nhlapo, Hlatshwayo, Gumede, Bhasera, Vilakazi, Mkhwanazi, Losper, Shongwe, Chapman, Botes.
Bloemfontein Celtic: Tignyemb, Mzava, Fransman, Bilankulu, Mogapi , Ndengane, Cloete, Isaacks, Mogorosi, Lakay, Mhango.
Check out the MTN8 Fixtures here.
