Clever Boys shock Sundowns

Bidvest Wits came from a goal down to shock big spenders Mamelodi Sundowns 3-1 in an Absa Premiership encounter at Bidvest Stadium on Saturday evening.

Goals from Sthembiso Ngcobo, Matthew Booth and Calvin Kadi cancelled out Dove Wome’s early strike.

It was a game in which Bidvest Wits’ players who are on loan from Sundowns were not allowed to play due to the standard clause in Sundowns’ on-loan player contracts. Unavailable for Gavin Hunt on the night was Kwanda Mngonyama and Denis Onyango.

But it did not matter as the home side were full value for three very important points in the League race.

Sundowns got off to a flying start with Wome prodding home in the fifth minute. Teko Modise’s ball into the area fell favourably at the Togo midfielder’s feet and he made no mistake tapping in from close range in his first start for The Brazilians since December.

Moeneeb Josephs made a string of saves before Ngcobo pulled the home side level in the 27th minute. Sibusiso Vilakazi played the ball wide to debutant Tebogo Moerane who’s superb first time cross found Ngcobo at the back post; the former Kaizer Chiefs striker put the ball past Kennedy Mweene from close range.

Then Rodney Ramagalela found the back of the net 10 minutes later but his effort was not allowed as the assistant referee called him offside.

Bidvest Wits took the lead seven minutes into the second stanza through former Brazilian Matthew Booth who headed past Mweene from a Sibusiso Vilakazi corner-kick.

Calvin Kadi secured the points for the hosts in the 65^th minute with a crisp volley. A cross to the far post came in from Ngcobo and Kadi balanced himself before placing a volley past a helpless Mweene.

Sundowns had a couple of chances through Anthony Laffor,

Rashid Sumaila and Lebohang Mokoena late in the game but Josephs was up to the task in goal.

The win moves Bidvest Wits level on points with Abafana Ba’Style in second place on the table.

Bidvest Wits (1) 3 (Ngcobo 27’ Booth 52’ Kadi 65’)

Mamelodi Sundowns (1) 1 (Wome 5’)

Bidvest Wits: Josephs, Gumede (Dankwae 90’), Booth, Kadi, Vilakazi, Faty, Nhlapho, Madubanya (Pattison 69’), Moerane, Ngcobo (Chapman 77’), Ntshangase

Mamelodi Sundowns: Mweene, Mashaba, Sumaila, Moon, Pelembe, Wome (Mokoena 59’), Nthethe, Zungu, Modise (Moriri 76’), Ramagalela (Laffor 55’), Nyandoro

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