Welcome relief for ‘home’ team
WITS: CLEVER BOYS’ FORM IS FAR BETTER ON THE ROAD
Bidvest Wits are the latest Gauteng side to take a home game to KwaZulu-Natal this evening, as they welcome Orlando Pirates for an Absa Premiership clash at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
Wits might actually be relieved to get away from playing at Bidvest Stadium momentarily, given their poor home record in the last couple of seasons in Johannesburg.
Gavin Hunt’s side did beat Stellenbosch FC at their last home game on campus, but it took a late winner from Gift Motupa against the top flight new-boys, and was just their ninth victory in 21 matches on home soil since the start of the 2018/19 campaign.
Wits’ away form has kept them afloat in that period, and is the main reason they still have nine points out of a possible 12 at the start of the 2019/20 campaign, their chances of launching another title challenge well-and-truly alive.
The Clever Boys come into this game on the back of a loss, a 1-0 defeat by Young Buffaloes in a Caf Confederation Cup first-leg tie in Swaziland on September 14. Domestically, Hunt’s side have not played for almost a month, thanks to the international break and an early exit from the MTN8.
Still, at least Wits should be fresh for the visit of Pirates, who finally picked up a win under Rulani Mokwena last weekend, beating Chippa United 2-1 at Orlando Stadium.
Tshegofatso Mabasa, the scorer of both goals, will surely continue in attack, the 22-year-old striker providing perhaps one answer for a side that has battled to find the net this season, despite having plenty of talent in attack.
Wits should provide stubborn resistance, with Thulani Hlatshwayo marshalling their defence. Some extra spice has been added to this game by the fact that the Bafana Bafana and Wits captain was rumoured to be a transfer target for Pirates in the off-season, before eventually signing a new deal at the Clever Boys.
Bafana defender Sifiso Hlanti could also return to the Wits defence against Pirates, after missing the start of the season with a knee injury.
Hunt’s main problem this season has been a familiar one – finding a striker who can actually bring him enough goals. Motupa is certainly an option for Hunt in an attacking role, though he has started only one of Wits’ four matches thus far this season.
Carl Lark seems to have dropped down the pecking order, while Simon Murray is out for the season with a knee ligament injury.