Bidvest Wits moved to the top of the Absa Premiership table after claiming a 2-1 victory over Baroka at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday, writes DYLAN APPOLIS.
Wedson Nyirenda’s men came into this encounter having only won one of their last 11 Absa Premiership matches and following their goalless draw against Mamelodi Sundowns in their previous encounter on Tuesday.
In turn, Gavin Hunt’s side would have been hoping to return to winning ways after playing to a 2-2 draw with Golden Arrows in their league encounter on Wednesday.
The Clever Boys came out with intent and looked threatening early on despite struggling to carve out any clear-cut opportunities in the final third.
Lehlohonolo Majoro had a chance to hand Wits the lead after 11 minutes, but Baroka keeper Elvis Chipezeze rushed off his line to make the clearance and deny the striker.
The visitors nearly took the lead eight minutes later when Deon Hotto lobbed a ball over the top of the Baroka defence to find Gabadinho Mhango, but the forward was unable to capitalise on his effort as the ball sailed over the target.
Bakgaga were then dealt a blow in the 29th minute when Bonginkosi Makume was forced off the field through injury, and was subsequently replaced by Abdi Banda.
At the other end, Wits thought they had taken the lead when Majoro found the back of the net, but his effort was flagged offside.
The Students piled the pressure on the home side. As the game went on, they continued to dominate byond the 35 minute mark, while Baroka looked to catch Wits out on the counter.
The visitors had a great chance to break the deadlock three minutes before the break when Elias Pelembe delivered an excellent ball into the area, but the Wits players failed to make the most of it as Chipazeze came off his line to punch the ball away.
Wits’ persistence eventually paid off when they opened the scoring in stoppage time after Majoro latched on to a ball in the box, before firing his effort past Chipezeze to hand his side the lead just before the break.
The home side showed more of an attacking approach early in the second half when they forced Darren Keet into making a point-blank save to keep his side’s lead intact.
Wits then doubled their lead in the 58th minute after Hotto finished off a well-worked set piece to find the net, 2-0.
Mhango had an excellent chance to extend Wits’ lead even further after some great interchanges by the Clever Boys, but the forward saw his effort blocked by the Baroka defence.
Chipezeze came to his side’s rescue five minutes later when he kept out Daylon Claasen‘s goal-bound strike.
Hunt’s men came close to making it 3-0 when Mhango got the better of Thabiso Semenya to hit a powerful shot, but Chipezeze did well to make the save before Majoro hit the rebounded effort over the crossbar.
The home side did manage to pull a goal back in the 80th minute when Tebogo Sodi latched on to a great ball into the area before placing his header into the net, 2-1.
Baroka pushed forward in the closing stages of the game as they went in search of an equalising goal, but Wits managed to hold on to their 2-1 lead until the final whistle to claim all three points at the Peter Mokaba Stadium.
