Wits edge thriller with luckless Bucs
● Bidvest Wits beat Orlando Pirates 4-3 in one of the most exciting Absa Premiership games this season, with a seven-goal thriller which produced one of the best goals this season.
Phathutsedzo Nange scored the goal that separated the two sides in the 82nd minute after Cole Alexander looked to give Wits the winner in the 68th minute before substitute Gabadinho Mhango scored for Pirates in the 83rd minute.
Wits were forced to play this game at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban after the Premier Soccer League deemed their venue in Milpark in Johannesburg not good enough to host this fixture.
It was a game in which both sets of fans were unsure where it was going as both teams went for the victory.
But in the end it was Gavin Hunt’s team that went home with the three points.
They moved to second spot on the Premiership log with 12 points from their five games.
For Bucs interim coach Rulani Mokwena this defeat derails his confirmation as head coach of Pirates after getting his first win against Chippa United at home last week.
Wits took the lead in the second minute of the game, with Deon Hotto beating Joris Delle with an outstanding free-kick from just outside the area.
Bucs came back with a well-taken equaliser right on the stroke of half-time, with Tshegofatso Mabasa taking one touch, turning and letting go an amazing shot that left Brandon Petersen stranded in the Wits goal.
Just as Hotto scored his third of the season, Mabasa, who finished with nine goals at Bloemfontein Celtic last season, added his third this term after scoring twice in Bucs’ 21 victory against Chippa United at home last week.
The second stanza started on fire with the home side, Wits, regaining the lead after Mxolisi Macuphu finished well after getting an assist from Hotto in the 50th minute.
Bucs came back six minutes later after Musa Nyatama poked the ball home inside the area after getting a pass from substitute Gabadinho Mhango.
An amazing thing about this fixture is the fact that there had been no draws in the past 10 marches between the sides before yesterday’s game, with Wits dominating the statistics with seven wins and Bucs winning the other three.
Last season things were even as both teams won 1-0 against each other away.
Keagan Ritchie scored an own-goal winner for Bucs in Milpark in April, with Gladwin Shitolo doing the same for Wits in the first leg in August.