Storm sends Leopards, Wits scurrying for cover

A torrential storm brought a premature end to the opening game of the second round of the Nedbank Cup as the referee called off the clash between Black Leopards and Bidvest Wits when the heavens opened in Thohoyandou on Wednesday night.

The rain began to fall about 20 minutes into the game and, accompanied by a strong wind, continued to lash down for more than an hour.

Leopards had taken a 37thminute lead through Lesedi Kapinga as they looked to add the scalp of the league leaders to that of Orlando Pirates, whom they had beaten at the Thohoyandou Stadium in the first round.

But two minutes before halftime, the rain had caused deep puddles on the pitch and the ball was getting stuck in the wet, endangering the safety of the players and ruining any chance of a decent footballing spectacle.

It was not long after the referee ordered both teams to the changing rooms that the match commissioner, Robert Sithole, called off the game.

PSL chief operations officer Ronnie Schloss said from the event: “The referee and his officials met after they stopped the game and they’ve assessed the conditions to be dangerous for the players.

“The league will meet tomorrow and will refixture it.

“The match will start from scratch as a new match. The goal is expunged from the records.”

Neither team are due to play again until next weekend – Saturday, February 23, in the case of Wits, while Leopards

Leopards had taken a 37th-minute lead through Lesedi Kapinga as they looked to add the scalp of the league leaders to that of Orlando Pirates

are in action again on Sunday, February 24.

It would seem easy, therefore, to fit in the tie this weekend. –