Johannesburg - Goals by Papy Faty, S’boniso Gumede and Ryan Chapman ensured that Bidvest Wits’ ambition of finishing in the top four was on track as they outsmarted AmaZulu 3-1 at the Bidvest Stadium on Saturday afternoon in their Absa Premiership match. Bongani Ndulula was on the score sheet for Usuthu but his equaliser was in vain.
The match sparked into the life inside the first ten minutes when the home side took the lead. Bryce Moon dribbled on the right flank and the AmaZulu defence tried in vain to cut him out as the ball deflected onto Faty in the centre of the field outside the box and the Burundian midfielder hit a first time low shot that went into the net. It was 1-0 to Wits in the ninth minute.
The home side’s lead only lasted eight minutes as Craig Rosslee’s charges got back into the match through sloppy defending by Wits. The backline was all at sea and Ndulula tapped in from close range into the back of the net.
Wits were back in front in the 36th minute through a former AmaZulu player. After the away side failed to clear their lines from a corner kick the ball was sent back into the box and an unmarked Gumede was there to slip home the ball from six-yards out to make it 2-1 in the 36th minute.
In the 48th minute Tinashe Nengomasha could have made it 3-1 but his powerful shot from just outside the centre of the box went narrowly wide of goal.
With 15 minutes remaining in the contest the home side got their goal through sloppy defending from Usuthu. From a corner kick, AmaZulu cleared Wits’ headed at attempt at goal off the line but Chapman was on hand from close to finish off the move as he headed from close range to make it 3-1.
Bidvest Wits (2) 3 (Faty 9’, Gumede 36’, Chapman 74’)
AmaZulu (1) 1 (Ndulula 17’)
Wits: Arendse, Gumede, Moon (Langwe 74’), Nengomasha, Vilakazi, Sweswe, Faty, Mashaba (Kadi 83’), Sibande, Mngomezulu, Chapman (Timm 90’)
AmaZulu: Kapini, Hlongwa, Cele, Teyise, Mwedihanga, Madondo (Senaemla 53), Kgatla, Manqana, Mshengu (Malongoane 53’), A. Dlamini, Ndulula
The match sparked into the life inside the first ten minutes when the home side took the lead. Bryce Moon dribbled on the right flank and the AmaZulu defence tried in vain to cut him out as the ball deflected onto Faty in the centre of the field outside the box and the Burundian midfielder hit a first time low shot that went into the net. It was 1-0 to Wits in the ninth minute.
The home side’s lead only lasted eight minutes as Craig Rosslee’s charges got back into the match through sloppy defending by Wits. The backline was all at sea and Ndulula tapped in from close range into the back of the net.
Wits were back in front in the 36th minute through a former AmaZulu player. After the away side failed to clear their lines from a corner kick the ball was sent back into the box and an unmarked Gumede was there to slip home the ball from six-yards out to make it 2-1 in the 36th minute.
In the 48th minute Tinashe Nengomasha could have made it 3-1 but his powerful shot from just outside the centre of the box went narrowly wide of goal.
With 15 minutes remaining in the contest the home side got their goal through sloppy defending from Usuthu. From a corner kick, AmaZulu cleared Wits’ headed at attempt at goal off the line but Chapman was on hand from close to finish off the move as he headed from close range to make it 3-1.
Bidvest Wits (2) 3 (Faty 9’, Gumede 36’, Chapman 74’)
AmaZulu (1) 1 (Ndulula 17’)
Wits: Arendse, Gumede, Moon (Langwe 74’), Nengomasha, Vilakazi, Sweswe, Faty, Mashaba (Kadi 83’), Sibande, Mngomezulu, Chapman (Timm 90’)
AmaZulu: Kapini, Hlongwa, Cele, Teyise, Mwedihanga, Madondo (Senaemla 53), Kgatla, Manqana, Mshengu (Malongoane 53’), A. Dlamini, Ndulula