Johannesburg - Steve Komphela says the football fanatics of Bloemfontein deserve a team in the PSL after producing a euphoric atmosphere at Free State Stadium this week..
On Thursday night, competitive football returned to the City of Roses as Marumo Gallants hosted Mamelodi Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup last 16.
And the people of Bloemfontein, who’ve been starved of football for almost two years after the sale of Bloemfontein Celtic to Royal AM, responded in kind.
"This is a special city for football! These are special people" 🤩
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) March 2, 2023
🗣 Andile 'Ace' Ncobo on football's return to the city of Bloemfontein 👇 | #NedbankCup pic.twitter.com/7jV3D4sFRn
They sang and danced the whole night, reviving their famous tag of being one of the most passionate supporters of football in the country.
Those scenes left Mamelodi Sundowns’ senior coach Komphela, who also coached the defunct Celtic between 2018 to 2019, quite emotional.
"What an emotional moment! Bloemfontein deserves a team in the @OfficialPSL. I couldn’t hold myself,” Komphela tweeted after his team’s 3-1 win.
What an emotional moment! Bloemfonrein deserves a Team in the @OfficialPSL. I couldn’t hold myself. These supporters here are a blessing to the City and The Free State Province. Could this be possible? YES! @Siwele051
— Steve Komphela (@komphelasteve) March 2, 2023
“These supporters here are a blessing to the city and Free State Province. Could this be possible? YES!”
Returning PSL general manager Ace Ncobo was also in awe of the outpouring of passion coming out of the football fanatics of Bloemfontein, saying “they are special people”.
“These are our primary clients. We are for the football fans. We are here because these people need us. The PSL is nothing without these people,” Ncobo said on SuperSport after the game.
“No club can ever survive without this kind of passion. This is a special city for football. These people are really special.
This is last night, gave me goose bumps... electrifying... 🙆![CDATA[]]>🏾![CDATA[]]>👏![CDATA[]]>🏾![CDATA[]]>👏![CDATA[]]>🏾![CDATA[]]>💥![CDATA[]]>💥 Bloem Celtic supporters though...🤌![CDATA[]]>🏾#Siwelele #Bloemceltic pic.twitter.com/AHwt2ooKAE
— Dikgang Mabalane (@MabalaneDikgang) March 3, 2023
“The match ended 10 minutes ago. They are still here and enjoying being here. They are special people and we are so happy to have football back in Bloemfontein.”
The people of Bloemfontein are expected to be in full cheer yet again this Sunday when Gallants host TS Galaxy in the DStv Premiership at the Free State Stadium.
Gallants are in desperate need of points as they are bottom of the standings with 18 points, three behind the 15th-placed Maritzburg United.