Wits pay the price for messing up the penalty shootout

● Three penalty misses by Bidvest Wits’ experienced attackers, Lehlohonolo Majoro, Elias Pelembe and Daine Klate, proved costly for Wits as they were knocked out in the first round of the CAF Champions League before the group phase for the second time in a row.

Wits lost 3-2 on penalties to Angolan champions Premeiro de Agosto even though they had taken the match to penalties with Pelembe’s 80th-minute strike giving the home side a 1-0 lead.

Gavin Hunt’s team had started the match needing two clear goals to advance to the money-pinning group phase and Pelembe had used all his experience and composure to bring Wits back into the game with his delightful finish 10 minutes from time.

With this result Premeiro, in their 11th appearance in this competition, now move to the group phase composed of 16 teams that will be divided into four groups.

Wits, who were also knocked out by Al Ahly of Egypt in the same first round last year, will now drop to the last 32 of the CAF Confederation Cup where they will possibly link up with two South African teams.

Last year’s runners-up in the Confed Cup, SuperSport United, are already through to the last 32 of the Confed Cup and they could be joined by Cape Town City, who have a 1-0 lead over Costa do Sol of Mozambique they are hosting in Cape Town today.

Wits had all the best moves going forward in the first stanza of this match but their final ball was poor, though right back Reeze Frosler did come close to open the scoring halfway through the first half but his low shot was kept out by Primerio’s goalkeeper, Adilson Cipriano.

The visitors also had their chances and should have taken the lead on the stroke of half time when they caught the Wits defence square.

The first leg Premeiro hero, Geraldo Bartolomeu, was put clear by Natael Masuekama’s pass but he failed to loop the ball over Darren Keep in Wits’ goal.

Wits had most of the possession throughout the 90 minutes but Majoro was often left isolated up front.

Previously Wits had been accused of not taking seriously their participation in CAF competitions but this time Hunt cannot be accused of that as his team was outclassed by a team with greater experience, just as it was when they lost to Al Ahly last year.

It remains to be seen though how Wits will approach the Confed Cup, a competition with lesser pedigree than the Champions League, which also offers greater rewards to the winners.