Moroka Swallows will not defend the MTN 8 title they won this season as they failed to qualify for the top eight after a 1-1 draw against Bloemfontein Celtic at the Dobsonville Stadium on Saturday afternoon in their Absa Premiership clash. Joel Mogorosi scored early in the second half to cancel out Felix Obada’s first half goal.

Celtic could have taken an early lead when Lyle Lakay sent in a wonderful cross from the right wing but Mogorosi, who was on rushing and unmarked at the back post, failed to hit the back of the net as he headed over the bar from close range in the third minute of the match.

In the ninth minute of the match Katlego Mashego went closer for Swallows as his free kick from just outside the box brushed the top outside roof of the net, with Celtic keeper Patrick Tignyemb completely stranded.

Mogorosi tested Swallows keeper Greg Etafia with a shot from just outside the box in the 32nd minute but the Nigerian shot stopper was up to the task and snuffed out the attack.

Swallows took the lead in the 34th minute when Celtic’s defence failed to neutralise Mashego, who was ball juggling the box and laid it off to Obada, who cracked a screamer from outside the box as Tignyemb had to pick the ball out of his rattled net.

Four minutes into the second half Celtic levelled matters when Swallows failed to clear at the back after Lakay sent in a dangerous ball into the box which bounced off Mgorosi’s chest and trickled into the net with Etafia stranded and wrong footed.

Moments later Roderick Mutuma failed to give his side the lead after he set free and faced off with Etafia in a one-on-one situation but the Swallows keeper pulled off a terrific save to keep the scores level.

Mutuma had another opportunity in the 75th minute when Rudi Isaacs made a mistake at the back but Mutuma couldn’t capitalise as he could only nod the ball onto the path of Etafia, who did brilliantly to stretch his hand out.

In the dying minutes of the match, Mutuma could have given his team the lead but he was denied by the cross bar with Etafia completely beaten by his shot on the edge of the box. The match finished in a draw as Swallows finishing ninth and out of the top eight.

Moroka Swallows (1) 1 (Obada 34’)

Bloemfontein Celtic (0) 1 (Mogorosi 49’)

Teams:

Swallows: Etafia; Isaacs, Mungomeni, Lekgothoane, Da Costa; Nergadze, Tsutsulupa, Chenene (Chabangu 68’), Obasa; Nomvethe, Mashego (Mathebula 77’)

Celtic: Tignyemb; Mogapi, Nthethe, Isaacs, Mvaza, Lakay, Arwuah, Mogorosi, Duiker (Bacela 46’), Mutuma (Ntanga 90’), Gamildien (Leornard 80’