City look to end winless streak

Thabo Nodada of Cape Town City evades challenge from Daylon Claasen of Bidvest Wits during the Absa Premiership 2017/18 football match between Cape Town City FC and Bidvest Wits at Athlone Stadium, Cape Town on 24 February 2018 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix

by Graeme Jackson

Monday Oct 01, 2018. 14:00

Cape Town City will look to end their winless streak in the Absa Premiership when they host Bidvest Wits at Cape Town Stadium on 2 October 2018, kick-off at 19h30.

City have gone five league matches without a win after they played out a 2-2 draw away to Orlando Pirates on September 19. The Cape side, though, fought back from two goals down in the clash in Soweto.

The Citizens have claimed four points from their three home matches this season and will be hoping to get back on track and replicate the kind of form they showed on the opening weekend of the season when they defeated SuperSport United 2-0 in the Mother City.

Wits come into the game on the back of a 1-0 home loss at the hands of Polokwane City on September 21. The Johannesburg side has taken just four points from the last 12 available in the league.

The Clever Boys’, though, are unbeaten away from home this season. They have recorded two wins and a draw from three matches on the road.

In head-to-head stats, City and Wits have met in four league matches since the 2016/17 season. The Citizens have claimed two wins compared to one for the Clever Boys, while one game has been drawn. The Cape side has yet to win at home in the rivalry, though, as they have recorded one draw and one defeat from two turns as hosts.

Last season Lehlohonolo Majoro was the central figure in the teams’ two league meetings: he scored the only goal in the first half of the campaign as City won 1-0 in Johannesburg, but for the return game he was a Clever Boys player and netted twice in their 2-1 triumph in Cape Town.

City’s line-up from their 2-2 draw with Pirates on September 19: Leeuwenbergh, Cupido (Martin 68’), Mngonyama, Kouadja, Edmilson, Putsche, Nodada, Patosi, Norodien (Kateregga 84’), Links, Rusike (Mthembu 60’).

Wits’ line-up from their 1-0 loss to Polokwane on September 21: Keet, Hlatshwayo, Johannes, Monare, Hotto, Hlanti, Mkhwanazi (Mere 46'), Alexander, Domingo, Motupa, Macuphu (Murray 59').