AmaZulu thrash champions Bidvest Wits in Umlazi

Bidvest Wits' poor start to the season is turning into a nightmare, the Absa Premiership champions capitulating to a dramatic 3-0 defeat against AmaZulu at King Zwelithini Stadium on Wednesday night.

An at-times ill-tempered match saw AmaZulu midfielder Michael Morton red-carded in the 71st minute.

By that stage, though, Wits' evening had capitulated to a stunning strike by Morton in the 11th minute, a poorly-awarded penalty scored by Rhulani Manzini in the 60th, and second strike by the striker in the 62nd.

Wits slipped to a seventh league and cup match without a win in 2017-18.

AmaZulu bounced back from a 4-1 defeat against Lamontville Golden Arrows in Sunday's Durban derby at Princess Magogo Stadium.

Morton's early strike put Wits under pressure in the match. Probing around the edge of, and into Wits' area, Usuthu met them with a solid defense.

A half-clearance fell to Morton six metres outside the penalty box, who controlled and struck a beautiful drive into the top-right corner past a diving Moeneeb Josephs.

AmaZulu increased their lead after Jabulani Ncubeni kicked the ball from two metres away from the defender into the arm of Phumlani Ntshangase in Wits' area and the referee pointed to the spot.

Manzini struck his penalty straight and hard as Josephs dived to his right.

The spot-kick had seemed incorrectly awarded - Ntshangase had not time to remove his arm.

If that manner of providing a soft second seemed unfair to Wits, then the evening fell apart further for the killer goal two minutes later.

Almost from the restart winger Mhlengi Cele showed skill on the left of the field then put through a stunning pass that split Wits open again, putting Manzini through to slam in a fine low finish past Josephs.

Emotions spilled over as Tapelo Nyongo fouled Gabadinho Mhango. Morton got involved, got spat at by Mhango, lost his composure and angrily pushed out at Wits' Malawian forward, who fell to the floor dramatically.

Morton was red-carded, but there was no censure for Mhango.

Other midweek PSL Results:

Tuesday, 19 September:

Orlando Pirates 1 - 0 Cape Town City

SuperSport United 1 - 1 Chippa United

Polokwane City 2 - 3 Free State Stars

Wednesday, 20 September:

Platinum Stars 0 - 1 Lamontville Golden Arrows 

Maritzburg United 0 - 2 Kaizer Chiefs

AmaZulu 3 - 0 Bidvest Wits

Bloemfontein Celtic 0 - 2 Baroka FC 

 - TimesLIVE