Bidvest Wits defender Buhle Mkhwanazi might have tried to play it down as just another game‚ but in truth Saturday’s Absa Premiership fixture at Loftus Versfeld between his team and Mamelodi Sundowns is the proverbial clash of titans.
It says much for the progress made by Wits – previously the reliable and consistent if somewhat dowdy middle-men of South African football – that in this age they can be mentioned as a giant on the field of play in the same breath as Sundowns‚ Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates.
Of course the Clever Boys can never have the same level of support nationwide as the big three‚ but today‚ in terms of player‚ coaching staff‚ management and facility power‚ the backing of Bidvest has transformed Wits into a near-juggernaut.
In any other season‚ a squad of Wits’ quality would be the favourites almost to walk the title. Like Rafael Nadal in tennis though – who in any other age would have walked the best player in the world title‚ had it not been for the birth one August‚ 1981 of Roger Federer – Wits have a genuine juggernaut to contend with as title rivals in African champions Sundowns.
Mkhwanazi – the model in defence for Wits of the dependability that epitomises coach Gavin Hunt’s aggressive‚ disciplined game plan – tried to play down Saturday’s clash (kickoff: 6pm).
“It’s not a special game. We’ve been having this talk of saying we need to respect every game that comes‚” the centreback said.
“What we did against Baroka was that we were disciplined‚ and we played. And I think on Saturday we need to do the same thing.”
Really though‚ in the form Downs have been in‚ Wits seem like almost the only team genuinely capable of putting the brakes on Pitso Mosimane’s winning machine‚ apart from Sundowns themselves‚ when they can seem disinterested against lowly opposition.
Wits will not be that.
Like Downs – who massacred Orlando Pirates 6-0 – Hunt’s men have been racking up tennis scores. Their 5-0 thrashing of Baroka FC on Wednesday night was their second result by that scoreline in 2017‚ having done the same to Ajax Cape Town.
Wits have a fine attack. Only Sundowns have a better one in the PSL. As has been Hunt’s modus operandi‚ his teams are built on an almost unbreakable defence.
When the awe-inspiring bullet train frontline of Sundowns comes into contact at full steam with the immovable wall that can be Wits’ defence‚ the ground can shake.
“You start defending from the front. And if you do that you’ll definitely get clean sheets and win matches‚” Mkhwanazi said of his team’s plan to try to contain Khama Billiat‚ Percy Tau‚ Anthony Laffor‚ Themba Zwane et al.
Wits have a precedent of having done just that. They did not just contain Sundowns in the MTN8 final in Nelspruit in October‚ but walloped them 3-0.
The Johannesburg team’s aggressive playing style overwhelmed Downs like very few teams have in the past year. There was the question mark‚ though‚ that perhaps Downs had their minds on a bigger thing‚ with the Caf Champions League final looming later that month.
That the Brazilians outclassed Zamalek 3-1 on aggregate to win that final seemed to confirm that was where their focus had been placed.
Which just adds more punch to this Ali vs Frazier contest. Downs will want to set the record straight. But so will Wits‚ by proving that theory incorrect. Pull up the popcorn – and don’t blink.
TMG Digital/TMG Sport
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package. 