Competitive juices are flowing at last
Jonty Mark
Bidvest Wits could be forgiven for failing to remember exactly when they last played in the Absa Premiership, when they take to the field in a “home” match against Orlando Pirates at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban tomorrow evening.
August 28, for the record, is the answer to that question, a 2-1 win at home to Stellenbosch FC followed by a lengthier-than-normal layoff following the international break, and then the MTN8 semifinals.
It must have been torture for Gavin Hunt, who never disguises the fact he much prefers to play over working in training, or taking part in friendly matches that have little to none of the competitive edge in the Premier Soccer League.
Wits have had plenty of offthe-field affairs to deal with of late, with serious financial issues leading to the club cutting its backroom staff in the off-season, while CEO Jose Ferreira also recently quit the club. The Clever Boys, nonetheless, have done well in the league, with nine points out of a possible 12 thus far, and Pirates head coach Rulani Mokwena certainly expects a tough encounter.
“Wits is another difficult one,” said Mokwena, whose side finally managed a win last weekend, beating Chippa United 2-1 at the Orlando Stadium.
“They are a well-coached team with an experienced coach who knows how to win. They have a strong defence, we will have to work very hard to get through the Wits defence, they have Tyson Hlatshwayo, a Bafana international, a strong midfield with Thabang Monare, and they use a lot of wing play. We also have to sort out the two on the flanks.”
This is certainly the kind of game that gives Pirates a chance to reassert their authority in the title race, having been a main part of the battle for the Premiership crown in the last couple of seasons.
Wits, however, will also be determined to show their own mettle, and should certainly benefit from hanging onto Hlatshwayo, the subject of serious interest from Pirates before the transfer window closed.