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'Downs win drama-filled clash

Bloemfontein - Mamelodi Sundowns have beaten Bloemfontein Celtic 3-1 in a drama-filled PSL match at the Free State Stadium on Sunday.

Goals by Hlompo Kekana, Cuthbert Malajila and Teko Modise proved too much for the hosts, who scored with a late Joel Mogorosi penalty.
 
Celtic saw John Arwuah controversially sent off on the strike of half-time while Sundowns had Anthony Laffor sent off late in the match and referee Daniel Volgraaf was the focus of a drama-filled clash.

As it happened: Bloem Celtic v Sundowns
 
On debut, striker Cuthbert Malajila dragged a shot wide of the far upright early on in the game.
 
The visitors were first to draw blood when ex-Bloemfontein Celtic man Kekana netted from a direct free kick after 23 minutes.
 
Kekana let rip with a curling shot that beat the wall, but took a wicked bounce to beat Patrick Tignyemb, who will be disappointed to have conceded in this way.
 
Then another Sundowns debutant, Bongani Zungu, came really close to scoring when he drive a shot towards the far post, but his effort cannoned off the upright.
 
Just before the interval, there was a moment of controversy when John Arwuah was shown a straight red card in the final seconds of the half.
 
The Ghanaian midfielder lunged into a challenge and his trailing leg went straight into his opponent’s body. The sending off was challenged strongly by Celtic coach Clinton Larsen at the interval and is likely to be a big talking point over the next few days.
 
Celtic had a few chances early in the second half when Kennedy Mweene tipped over a Ruzaigh Gamildien effort and then he did really well to block Lyle Lakay’s powerful shot, after some great foot work by Lakay.
 
No sooner had Sundowns soaked up the Celtic attacks and Malajila got into space on the other end, but he could not keep his volley down.
 
But then Malajila did score, netting with an excellent volley in the 62nd minute. Modise’s pin-point pass was controlled excellently by Malajila and in one motion he drilled his volley into top corner.
 
Substitute Surprise Moriri came close inside the final ten minutes when his goal bound shot was blocked.
 
Then it was an early shower for Laffor, who was sent off for a second booking, after he was adjudged to have handled the ball on route to goal.
 
In the dying seconds, Celtic were awarded a soft penalty and Mogorosi made no mistake from the spot.

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