Another high five for the Clever Boys
WITS DEMOLISH BAROKA TO GO TOP OF TABLE
THE reason Bidvest Wits do not want to release Phakamani Mahlambi to join the national under-20 team for the upcoming U/20 Africa Cup of Nations was made clear in their 5-0 victory over Baroka here last night.
The youngster came on as a substitute and it took him just four minutes to create the third goal for Wits and he put the icing on the cake by scoring the fifth to help the hosts secure their second 5-0 Absa Premiership victory in 2017.
Whether he starts or comes off the bench, Mahlambi is a menace for opposition defenders and he has that ability to find a chink in the opposition armour with his blistering pace.
Wits coach Gavin Hunt needs his best players at present, and Mahlambi is high up on that list in the team.
Wits made light work of a troubled Baroka side, taking a 2-0 lead into the break, thanks to goals from defender Buhle Mkhwanazi and the evergreen winger Daine Klate.
It could, however, have been different had Baroka striker Nyasha Munetsi converted from point blank midway through the half.
The chance went begging and Wits duly punished the visitors, as Mkhwanazi opened the scoring from a well calculated free kick involving Klate and captain Thulani Hlatshwayo.
Klate played the ball to Hlatshwayo, who headed into the box for Mkhwanazi to finish.
Seven minutes before the break, Wits were two goals up. Klate was set up by in-form Gabadinho Mhango and the former Orlando Pirates man found the back of the net with a first time volley.
Wits kept knocking on the Baroka door in the second half.
It took a while, but the floodgates finally opened in the 73rd minute, when Mkhwanazi converted with a diving header from a Mahlambi cross.
Ejike Uzoenyi, the former Mamelodi Sundowns winger, bagged his first goal for Wits in the final five minutes of the game.
Mahlambi bagged the fifth in stoppage time to seal another big win after Wit’s 5-0 thumping of Ajax Cape Town at the same venue two weeks ago.
It looks like Baroka have more than just their board room mess to sort out.
It’s hard to see them surviving the chop.