Wits teach hapless CT City a lesson
BIDVEST Wits have one foot in the MTN8 final after a 3-0 win over Cape Town City in their first leg clash here last night.
With all due respect to the Mother City club, this was a walk in the park for the Clever Boys.
The home side started off badly and almost conceded a penalty in the ninth minute after left-back Sifiso Hlanti appeared to bring down Bongolethu Jayiya in the box.
The referee, however, waved play on.
And that was the closest the visitors came to a goal and Wits responded with attack after attack to down their opponents, who looked out of sorts.
New Wits players Eleazar Rodgers and Gabadinho Mhango combined in the 22nd minute for the first goal. The Malawian picked out Rodgers with a pass at the far-post and the latter finished well to break the deadlock.
As the end of the first hast approached, Wits kept pushing for their second goal and it came as no surprise when Elias Pelembe waltzed past the defence to put his name on the scoresheet in the 38th minute.
And then it was Mhango’s turn to add his name to the goal scorers, and the Malawian did so with a lob over ShuAib Walters after a poor backheader by Tshepo Gumede to make it 3-0 for Wits.
City made two changes for the start of the second half, with Judas Moseamedi and Roland Putsche coming in for Jayiya and Mpho Matsi.
And in all fairness, they looked a different side in the second stanza but only in terms of ball possession as they couldn’t find their way past the Wits defence.
The second half was a scrappy affair to say the least, but there were still some notable moments like Sifiso Myeni making his first appearance for Wits since returning to the side from Orlando Pirates.
Wits good win was marred by goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs getting his marching orders for a punch on Putsche after a scuffle.
Josephs ran across the field to get himself in the shoving and pushing after Mhango was pushed by Moseamedi.
The return leg is set for next weekend in Cape Town and simply put, the hosts will have a mountain to climb.