Polokwane City defeated Bidvest Wits

by Staff Reporter

Friday Sep 21, 2018. 22:06

Polokwane City defeated Bidvest Wits 1-0 in an Absa Premiership match at the Bidvest Stadium in Johannesburg on Friday night.

As a result, Rise and Shine move to fifth spot on the league table, while the Clever Boys remained at the top of the standings.

The Clever Boys were the better side in the opening stages of the game with Mxolisi Macuphu and Deon Hotto looking lively for the hosts.

Macuphu tried to play a through pass for his Wits strike-partner Gift Motupa in the 18th minute.

However, the new South Africa international over-hit his pass and Polokwane goalkeeper George Chigova restarted play from the back.

The visitors then suffered a blow when Salulani Phiri was sent off eight minutes before the half-hour mark.

The Zambia international was shown a straight red card after making a dangerous tackle on Wits midfield maestro Thabang Monare.

The hosts then piled pressure on the visitors' defence with the half-time break fast approaching.

Zimbabwe international Chigova had to produce a fantastic save to deny Macuphu in the 40th minute.

Monare then tried his luck from range on the stroke of half-time, but Chigova was well-positioned to make a save.

The score was 0-0 at the interval with 10 men Polokwane having contained Wits.

Wits head coach Gavin Hunt made a change during the half-time break as he pulled out Buhle Mkhwanazi and he introduced Vuyo Mere.

The hosts dominated possession as they looked to break the deadlock, but Rise and Shine looked dangerous on the counter-attack.

Bongile Booi forced Wits goalkeeper Darren Keet into a great diving save in the 62nd minutes following a good move by the visitors.

The visitors were then awarded a free-kick in a promising area in the 74th minute following another counter-attack by Rise and Shine.

Free-kick specialist Jabulani Maluleke then stepped up and beat Keet with a wonderful effort from the set-piece to make it 1-0 to 10-man Polokwane.

Wits piled pressure on Polokwane in the closing stages of the game with Terrence Dzvukamanja forcing Chigova into a good low save in the 79th minute.

Polokwane stood firm at the back in the dying minutes of the game and ultimately, they ran out 1-0 winners over Wits on the night.

Wits (0) 0
Polokwane (0) 1 (Maluleke 75')

Wits: Keet, Hlatshwayo, Johannes, Monare, Hotto, Hlanti, Mkhwanazi (Mere 46'), Alexander, Domingo, Motupa, Macuphu (Murray 59').

Polokwane: Chigova, Mbonani, Phiri, Hlongwane, Motloung, Maluleke, Seabi, Manaka (Sikhosana 90'+2), Ramagalela, Musona (Mngomezulu 83'), Booi (Maluleke W 77').