Patosi inspires Cape Town City to victory

by Austin Ditlhobolo

Sunday Aug 27, 2017. 17:38

Cape Town City edged out Bidvest Wits 1-0 in the MTN8 Cup semi-final first-leg encounter in the Mother City on Sunday.

The Clever Boys are scheduled to host the Citizens at the Bidvest Stadium in the second-leg match in two weeks time.

The Citizens should have taken an early lead after Sibusiso Masina ran into the Clever Boys box, but he failed to make a meaningful touch.

At the other end, City goalkeeper Shu-Aib Walters was called into action and he produced a great save to deny Wits midfielder Thabang Monare.

The towering shot-stopper had to be alert in the 39th minute and he did well to gather Wits forward Frank Gabadinho Mhango's effort from inside the City box.

Wits were made to rue those two chances as Ayanda Patosi beat Wits keeper Moeneeb Josephs from close range to make it 1-0 to City in the 44th minute.

City were 1-0 up at the interval after the Wits defence was punished by Patosi, who pounced after the visitors' had failed to clear the ball away.

Wits dominated the second-half and they came very close to scoring in the 65th minute when Daine Klate forced Walters into a good save.

Kobamelo Kodisang, who was introduced in the 59th minute by Wits coach Gavin Hunt, was keeping the City defence very busy with his good runs.

The attacker beat City defender Edmilson Dove in the 80th minute, but he fired wide of the target without troubling Walters with time running out for Wits.

Walters then denied Wits defender S'fiso Hlanti in stoppage time - ensuring that the match ended in a 1-0 victory to City on the day.

City (1) 1 (Patosi 44')
Wits (0) 0

City: Walters, Fielies, Johannes, Mkhize, Seedat, Putsche, Nodada, Masina (Modise 70'), Patosi (Dove 74), Lakay, Majoro (Koapeng 84').

Wits: Josephs, Frosler, Hlatshwayo, Damjanovic, Hlanti, Scott, Klate (Pule 78'), Monare (Kodisang 59'), Claasen, Mhango (Pienaar 46'), Gamal.