Bloemfontein Celtic eased to a comfortable 2-0 win over the University of Pretoria at the Free Stadium on Sunday afternoon in their Absa Premiership encounter.

Keagan Buchanan and Gabadinho Mhango’s first half strikes were enough to give Ernst Middendorp’s side three valuable league points.

Celtic had an opportunity to take an early lead when Buchanan released a shot just inside the box, but his powerful drive was calmly handled by AmaTuks keeper Washington Arubi.

Buchanan showed some class when he gave the home side the lead in the 29th minute. The youngster danced his way past a handful of AmaTuks defenders and with them expecting him to release a teammate with a pass, the attacker found a pocket of space among the crowded area and placed his shot into the bottom right corner of Arubi’s net for his first professional goal.

Seconds before the halftime break, Celtic doubled their lead. Phunya Sele Sele won back possession in the middle of the park and hit AmaTuks on the counter attack. Mhango was perfectly positioned just inside the edge of the box to coolly pick his spot and lazily beat Arubi down to his left.

Five minutes into the second half Celtic defender Musa Bilankulu tried to give his side a three-goal cushion but his shot was well saved by Arubi. Thabo Mnyamane then came close to pulling a goal back for the visitors in the 62nd minute but his shot from just outside the box went wide of goal.

In the 73rd minute Celtic failed to punish AmaTuks when Lerato Lamola put Arubi under pressure which resulted in his tame kick landing on the path of Joel Mogorosi, but the Celtic attacker failed to score with the keeper off his line as his shot was blocked by a defender.

With seven minutes left on the clock Tebogo Monyai could have made things interesting in the final stages of the match but the AmaTuks captain found the outside roof of the side netting from a corner kick header.

Celtic managed to see off AmaTuks as they held on in the final minutes of the match to record their second consecutive victory of the year after their derby win over provincial neighbours Free State Stars last weekend.

Bloemfontein Celtic (2) 2 (Buchanan 29’, Mhango 45+2’)
University of Pretoria 0

Celtic: Tignyemb, Nkausu, Bilankulu, Daniels, Letlabika, Gabonamong, Buchanan (Ndengane 70’), Mahoa, Nyatama, Mogorosi, Mhango (Lamola 56’)

Tuks: Arubi, Ngubane (Mathosi 80’), Monyai, Mkhwanazi, Moussono-Moussono (Mnyamane 55’), Mosadi, Monama (Maruping 60’), Ketjijere, Zwane, Nyondo, Massa