Clever Boys put one foot in final

Bidvest Wits (3) 3 Cape Town City (0) 0

IF anyone has not yet taken note of Bidvest Wits and the danger they will pose this season, last night’s surgical dissection of Cape Town City must have been the immediate wake-up call.

Most teams do raise their games for Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs, but the ruthlessness displayed by Gavin Hunt’s side in the MTN8 semifinal first leg will have future opponents on edge.

The season may still be in its infancy but Wits’ cohesiveness, tactical flexibility and the synergy between their potent attacking players will have teams giving them far more attention.

Quite how Chiefs lost to Eric Tinkler’s unit leaves a lot to be desired in regards to Chiefs’ quality and how tactically decrepit they were in the quarterfinal.

Having seen off Chiefs on the opening day of the season, Wits showed why they are the team that needs close attention.

They weren’t flashy but Hunt-coached teams often eschew aesthetics for effectiveness. By drilling three first-half goals through Eleazar Rodgers, Elias Pelembe and Hellings “Gabadinho” Mhango, they effectively put one full foot in the final.

Cape Town City did not look like a team that will give Hunt’s team further headaches in Sunday’s second leg in Cape Town.

Hunt may have a questionable record in Cape Town but if the team somehow finds a way to lose this tie, investigators may have to be called in.

What could not be questioned was attacking threats posed by Mhango, Daine Klate and Pelembe. With the latter two making life difficult for wing-backs Phaladi Kobola and Ebrahim Seedat, Mhango’s mobility, pace and skill kept the threadbare centre-back pairing of Renars Rode and Tshepo Gumede on tenterhooks. It was just one of the major problems Tinkler’s side had, as their midfield anchorman Mpho Matsi was overwhelmed by waves of white jerseys and was promptly taken off at half time

Mhango could have scored a hattrick if his radar was functioning optimally, but his early missed chances in the eighth and 10th minutes respectively were his rattlesnake warning.

He went on to have a say in Rodger’s 22nd-minute goal as the lanky forward deftly clipped in Mhango’s delightful cross from the right.

Pelembe needed more trickery to weave past a confused defence in the 38th minute but his shot was out of Shu-aib Walters’s reach. Mhango finally got on the scoresheet six minutes later when he lobbed over the advancing Walters.

Such was the quiet efficiency of Wits’ defence and midfield, Cape Town hardly had any shots at goal. However, Wits games are never complete without a sending-off, with Moeneeb Josephs being the culprit.

His obscenities did not escape assistant referee Peter Chauke’s ears on the far side, and the normally benevolent Kulasande Qongqo had no option but to give the mouthy Wits keeper his marching orders in the 79th minute.

It should not come as a surprise if Josephs’s antics were brought about by boredom, as Matt Sim’s 33rdminute shot which he saved was his only meaningful contribution to the game. That’s how desperate the night was for the visitors.

Today: MTN8 semifinal, first leg — Chippa United v Mamelodi Sundowns (Nelson Mandela Stadium, 3pm)