SuperSport United sink Bidvest Wits

26 April 2017 - 00:27 By Marc Strydom, Bidvest Stadium
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Thuso Phala’s 68th-minute goal earned Matsatsantsa their first league win in six games.
Thuso Phala’s 68th-minute goal earned Matsatsantsa their first league win in six games.
Image: Gallo Images

Bidvest Wits still lack that finest of edges that gains a team a steely consistency and makes them league champions, by the evidence of their 1-0 Absa Premiership defeat against SuperSport United on Tuesday night.

Thuso Phala’s 68th-minute goal earned Matsatsantsa their first league win in six games.

Wits lost for the first time since their 2-0 defeat against Mamelodi Sundowns in February, six league matches ago. Their last seven games will tell if they have can gain that necessary edge they will need for a PSL title.

SuperSport were the team losing momentum and whose PSL title chances had rapidly slipped in the past week. Wits were the side tipped to perhaps edge out Cape Town City and Mamelodi Sundowns for the championship.

A good midweek crowd almost filled Bidvest Stadium as Wits' fans came to savour what seemed an inevitable victory as they continued to march towards an increasingly probable first league title.

That was the script, anyway. But someone had forgotten to forward it to SuperSport.

Stuart Baxter's men had dropped off the pace in the title race with defeats against Baroka then back-to-back against Mamelodi Sundowns.

But they have clearly not given up on their title aspirations. Helped by a Buhle Mkhwanazi defensive error, they toughed out a win against the league's ultimate toughies, and on Wits' home ground too.

It was a fairly dire first half.

Two similarly-styled teams, strong in defence and organisation, played at a breakneck speed.

Wits' aggressive, high tempo, high-pressing, ran into SuperSport's quick transitions and the result was something of a fast-paced dog's breakfast somewhere in the middle.

Free-kicks by Daine Klate for Wits and Mokoena for SuperSport did not trouble either goalkeeper.

Wits coach Gavin Hunt brought on Phakamani Mahlambi for Mhango in the 61st. From an Elias Pelembe corner Eleazar Rodgers headed over.

Soon a Reeve Frosler pass saw Mahlambi through with his pace to see a shot blocked.

Then Mkwanazi's defensive blunder gifted SuperSport their opener.

The centreback had to stretch and slide in for a ball on the left, deep in his half, did not win it, and allowed Thabo Mnyamane through. The Matsatsantsa forward did well to square low and hard, and pick out Phala free, who chipped a finish over Moeneeb Josephs.

Hunt again turned to his bench, as James Keene replaced an out-of-touch Eleazar Rodgers and Cuthbert Malajila came on for Klate.

Mahlambi had a chance for a touch on the edge of the area and half-volley that almost skimmed Williams's right upright.

But Wits were losing the plot at the back as Jeremy Brockie ghosted through with two men inside him and opted to shoot, Josephs getting a touch for the corner.

- TMG Digital/TMG Sport

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