Wits keep pressure on Chiefs with win over Stellenbosch

Cape Town - Wits kept up the pressure on Absa Premiership leaders Kaizer Chiefs with a 2-0 victory over Stellenbosch at the Cape Town Stadium.

While the win only lifted Gavin Hunt's side into third place on the table, two points behind Sundowns, they have two games in hand on the Brazilians and will soon emerge as Chiefs' closest challengers if results go according to plan.

The match got off to a sedate start, with little goalmouth action to report from either side in the opening 20 minutes.

The first chance of the afternoon fell to Stellenbosch debutant Granwald Scott, who had a chance to score against his former side but fired his shot straight at the keeper.

A few minutes later, Phathutshedzo Nange had a chance at the other end, a right-footed shot that flew wide of the post.

The Clever Boys were starting to find a foothold in the match, and their efforts were rewarded in the 36th minute thanks to a fantastic piece of individual skill from Gift Motupa.

It was a quick counterattack that created the chance for the talented midfielder, who had to finish from the tightest of angles but did so in style, firing the ball into the top corner to put the visitors 1-0 up at the break.

Wits started the second half in the same was as they'd finished the first, with decent chances falling to both Nange and Deon Hotto in the opening 15 minutes.

Nange's effort was just wide, while Hotto forced a smart save from Stellenbosch keeper Boy de Jong.

Ashley Du Preez tried to get the hosts back on level terms shortly after the hour mark with a right-footed strike, but his shot went wide of the right post.

Not long after, Motupa had a chance to double Wits' lead after finding the target with a right-footed shot, but De Jong proved equal to it.

Minutes later, however, Wits did go 2-0 up thanks to their Namibian international Hotto, who picked up his fourth goal of the season with a deflected effort to seal Stellenbosch's fate and leave the Cape Town outfit hovering just one point above the relegation zone.

- TEAMTalk