Title-chasing Wits bank on away form ahead of Baroka clash
German Bundesliga
SUNDAY
English Premier League Southampton ..................... v Arsenal ................. 3.30pm SS5 Brighton .............................. v Chelsea ................ 3.30pm SS3 Liverpool ............................ v Man United ................ 6pm SS3
Spanish La Liga
Sevilla ................................. v Girona ......................... 1pm SS7 Espanyol ............................. v Real Betis ............... 5.15pm SS7 Huesca ............................... v Villarreal ................ 7.30pm SS7 Levante ............................... v Barcelona ............. 9.45pm SS7
Italian Serie A
Spal ..................................... v Chievo ......................... 1.30 SS9 Frosinone ........................... v Sassoulo .................... 4pm SS9 Sampdoria .......................... v Parma ......................... 4pm SS11 Fiorentina ........................... v Empoli ........................ 4pm SS8 Cagliari ............................... v Napoli ......................... 7pm SS9 Roma .................................. v Genoa .................. 9.30pm SS9
German Bundesliga
RB Leipzig .......................... v Mainz .......................................... Eintracht Frankfurt ............. v Bayer Leverkusen ..................... AFTER dropping points at home on Wednesday night in the Absa Premiership, Wits coach Gavin Hunt is banking on their impressive away form to continue when they meet Baroka FC at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday.
In their last two league matches at Bidvest Stadium, Wits dominated, creating plenty of chances to seal victory.
However, that counted for nothing as they squandered their leads, thus losing and drawing to Bloemfontein Celtic and Golden Arrows respectively.
Away from home they’re a different proposition as they’ve won three times and lost once in four matches. That defeat came against Sunday’s opposition Bakgaga in the Telkom Knockout semi-finals last month.
“It feels like a loss when you dominate like that, and against Celtic that was a loss. We’ve got to kill off the games at home, but we don’t,” Hunt explained after their 2-2 draw with Arrows on Wednesday.
“We are better away from home. This is a bad result going to Sunday (against Baroka), especially after winning away from home last week. We had an opportunity to win the game as we were 2-0 up; we had another 45 minutes and we could have killed the game.
“They pressed, we should give them credit, but we should be better.”
Although the Clever Boys will be hoping to redeem themselves and close the gap at the summit of the log standings in Polokwane, Bakgaga will also be out to prove that their maiden cup competition success last month was not a fluke.
Many might deem this clash as a rematch of their meeting in the cup but Hunt says they’ll approach the match like any other.
“We’ll go there and play,” he said. “We’ll prepare and play like it’s a normal game and forget about what’s gone. What’s gone is gone.”
On the four points that they’ve recently dropped at home, the former SuperSport United coach is convinced that his experienced campaigners – especially defensively – should have done better.
Although penalties are mostly innocent mistakes that are part and parcel of the game, it’s hard to overlook the fact that Celtic and Arrows equalised from spot-kicks.
Against Siwelele, Robyn Johannes fouled Tshegofatso Mabasa, while on Wednesday, Lehlohonolo Nonyane brought down Seth Perusnath.
“We were dominating and should have killed the game off but we didn’t,” Hunt said. “They got another break, and another break (and they punished us).
“Experienced defenders are making major mistakes, so it’s disappointing.”
After their inability to finish in the top eight last season, which resulted to failure to make the MTN8 and continental competitions, many could have tipped the Braamfontein-based team to have dominated the title race. However, they currently trail leaders Orlando Pirates by three points, though they do have two games in hand.
“We’ve been good, we are second in the league, but it’s a long way to go, and we are not even halfway (through the season) yet,” he said. “It happens in football that you have games in hand and not win them, it’s one of those things.”