Mamelodi Sundowns are rejuvenated and refreshed following their short break as they go in search of back-to-back league wins for the first time this season on Wednesday evening.
The Tshwane giants will travel to the Free State province where they will face off against a tricky Bloemfontein Celtic, who have put their off-field issues to the side and have pushed well above their weight. Celtic currently occupy fourth place on the Premier Soccer League (PSL) table, meaning Sundowns will almost certainly have the work cut out.
However, Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane and his troops will be buoyed on by their recent gritty performance against Golden Arrows. Sundowns claimed all three points thanks to Lebohang Maboe and put to bed their six-game winless streak.
Celtic on the other hand, tasted their first defeat of the season against Maritzburg United, which would have surely brought them back down to earth.
| Game | Bloemfontein Celtic v Sundowns |
| Date | Wednesday, October 03 |
| Time | 19:30 pm SA Time |
TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch
In South Africa, the game will be shown live on SuperSport 11. You can also catch live updates on Goal.com .
Next Match
| Live Match Centre | TV Channel |
|---|---|
| Goal.com | SS11 |
Squads & Team News
| Position | Missing players |
|---|---|
| Midfielders | Anthony Laffor, George Lebese, Aubrey Ngoma (all injured), Lucky Mohomi and Oupa Manyisa (flu) |
| Attackers | Cuthbert Malajila (Injured) |
Meanwhile, Celtic will still be reeling from the blow that was losing defensive stalwart Alfred Ndengane. The centre-back recently ended his time with the club despite being voted the PSL’s Player of the Month for August.
Ndengane built a formidable partnership with Lorenzo Gordinho in a defence which has conceded just three goals in six league outings.
Celtic though, will attempt to move on and club top scorer Tshegofatso Mabaso, who has three goals to his name will hope to trouble a Sundowns defence who have conceded four goals in five games.
Nonetheless, with Sundowns having retuned from the break, they are likely to have most of their squad back, albeit with a few exceptions.
Oupa Manyisa's absence among others will come as a blow, but Sundowns will be boosted by the return of Influential playmaker Gaston Sirino. The South American missed games against AmaZulu and Arrows and Mosimane may look to unleash him against Steve Komphela’s side.
While Mosimane will be optimistic, he might have a selection headache upfront. The likes of Phakamani Mahlamabi, Toni Silva and Maboe have all been on target of late and it remains to be seen whether or not the 54-year-old will tinker with his selection or look to build on the club’s recent display.
Match Preview
This will be 33rd meeting between the two sides and Sundowns do boast an impressive record against Phunya Sele Sele.
Out of 32 previous games, Sundowns have been victorious on 19 occasions while Celtic have won just six.
But the last time these two sides met in the league, Celtic thwarted Sundowns and held them to a goalless draw.
Nevertheless, with Celtic having only lost one of their last 11 encounters, Sundowns may just be in for another tightly contested affair.
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