Hat-trick hero Morris fires CT City past Celtic

Cape Town City hammered Bloemfontein Celtic 4-0 in the Nedbank Cup Last 32 match at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday evening.

The win saw the Citizens book their place in the Round of 16, while Phunya Sele Sele bowed out of the lucrative tournament.

The Citizens were the better side in the opening stages of the match with the skillful Mduduzi Mdantsane looking lively for the home side.

The attacking midfielder placed his effort just over the crossbar after being set-up by Charles Zulu just three minutes into the game.

Mdantsane then set-up Tashreeq Morris, who hit the side-netting eight minutes later as the Citizens pushed for the opening goal against Phunya Sele Sele.

Celtic were happy to sit back and launch quick counter-attacks and this allowed City to dominate possession, but their finishing was poor in the final third.

The score was 0-0 during the halftime break with City having failed to take their chances in the first-half.

The Citizens continued to dominate the match after the restart with coach Jan Olde Riekerink having introduced Mpho Makola for Zulu.

The opening goal came in the 59th minute when Craig Martin played a cross for Morris, who hit the back of the net to make it 1-0 to City.

The momentum was the home side and they managed to double their lead nine minutes later with Morris completing his brace.

The former Ajax Cape Town striker headed home Fagrie Lakay's corner-kick to make it 2-0 to City with the Celtic defence caught ball watching.

The Citizens were running riot with the Phunya Sele Sele defence struggling to contain the 2016 Telkom Knockout champions, who extended their lead in the 74th minute.

Morris turned provider as the marksman played a through pass for Thabo Nodada, who beat Celtic goalkeeper Mondli Mpoto with a decent finish to make it 3-0.

The hosts were not done as Morris completed his hat-trick in stoppage time as he turned home Mdantsane's pass to seal a 4-0 win to City.

Cape Town City (0) 4 (Morris 59', 67' 90'+3, Nodada 74')

Bloemfontein Celtic (0) 0

TEAMS:

Cape Town City: Leeuwenburgh, Martin, Fielies (Mobara 79'), Cupido (Potouridis 78'), Mashego, Mokeke, Nodada (Roberts 78'), Mdantsane, Lakay (Mkhize 79'), Zulu (Makola 46'), Morris.

Bloemfontein Celtic:Celtic: Mpoto, Baloyi (Sera 76'), Rikhotso, Mahashe, Ngobeni, Mashikinya (Luthuli 76'), Kobedi (Ndwandwe 83'), Fikizolo, Masuku, Tchilimbou (Van der Ross 83'), Letsoalo.