Chippa fight back to hold Wits

by Graeme Jackson

Sunday Jan 14, 2018. 17:33

Chippa United fought back to salvage a share of the spoils and hold strugglers Bidvest Wits 1-1 in an Absa Premiership clash at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Sunday.

Both sides made a reserved start to the match, no doubt conserving energy on a warm and humid Port Elizabeth afternoon.

Yet it was the visitors from Johannesburg who looked the more potent team in attack, and on 21 minutes they were rewarded for their endeavour when attacker Vincent Pule finished off an assist from Thulani Hlatshwayo to put them 1-0 up.

Wits continued to look the better team through the remainder of the first half, but were unable to add to their advantage, while Chippa’s forward play lacked cohesion and they didn’t really threaten goalkeeper Darren Keet.

The Chilli Boys made a tactical substitution at the start of the second half, throwing on Thabo Rakhale in place of Bantu Mzwakali, yet it was Wits who remained livelier in attack.

The visitors were also quite willing to try and impose their physicality on Chippa, resulting in cautions for Daylon Claasen and Edwin Gyimah midway through the second stanza.

Wits looked set to pick up all three points, but the game was put back in the balance in the 80th minute when Chippa defender Christopher Bergman netted an equaliser, getting the better of Keet with a superb shot.

The result sees Wits remain on the bottom of the log (though they are level on points with both Platinum Stars and AmaZulu), while Chippa remain in eighth place.

Chippa United (0) 1 (Bergman 80’)
Bidvest Wits (1) 1 (Pule 21’)

Chippa: Akpeyi, Konqobe, Bergman, Okwuosa, Mdlinzo (Sali 88’), Mbokoma (Mbenyane 68’), Mantambo, Mabaso, Machupu, Mzwakali (Rakhale 46’), Mako

Wits: Keet, Hlatshwayo, Mkhwanazi, Gyimah, Hlanti, Pule (Pelembe 76’), Ntshangase, Motshwari, Claasen, Myeni (Frosler 89’), Majoro (Gamal 62’)