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Wits suffer CAF Confed Cup thrashing

Johannesburg - South African club Wits fielded a virtual reserve side in a CAF Confederation Cup last-32 first leg Saturday and were thrashed 3-0 at home by Azam of Tanzania.

All the goals for the ice cream company team came in a 10-minute second-half spell from Abubakar Salum, Shomari Kapombe and captain John Bocco.

Wits coach Gavin Hunt had promised to field his best available team in an effort to improve a poor record in the African equivalent of the Europa League.

But stars like defender Thulani 'Tyson' Hlatshwayo, midfielder Elias 'Domingues' Pelembe and England-born striker James Keene either started on the bench or were left out.

Wits, who trail Mamelodi Sundowns by seven points in the Premiership with eight rounds left, have twice exited the Confederation Cup in the round-of-32 to seemingly weaker opponents.

The Johannesburg side fared even worse last year, surrendering a 3-0 first-leg lead and losing a penalty shootout against an amateur Swaziland team of policemen.

Salum broke the deadlock on 51 minutes at the 5,000-seat Bidvest Stadium with a long-range shot and Kapombe punished a careless back-pass to double the lead.

Bocco, hailed as a quality footballer by Hunt before the match, completed the rout on the hour mark with a wide-angle shot past Jethren Barr.

The clubs meet again next weekend in Tanzania with Azam on course to face star-studded Tunisian outfit Esperance in the next qualifying round.

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