Wits wrap up dramatic win over Swallows

Bidvest Wits needed a late stoppage time goal by Sibusiso Vilakazi to record a 2-1 win over Moroka Swallows in their Absa Premiership encounter at Bidvest Stadium on Wednesday evening.

Lefa Tsutsulupa thought he had salvaged a draw for Swallows with his goal in the first minute of stoppage time, but it wasn’t to be as the Clever Boys outsmarted the Birds.

The two teams lined-up alongside each other in contrasting form, with Wits having not lost in six games, while the Dube Birds were looking to take their second win in as many matches.

Wits showed an immediate statement of intent from the first whistle. Sthembiso Ngcobo rounded Roger Da Costa, worked his way towards the box and supplied a cross to Jabu Shongwe - the midfielder turned his ball onto the upright.

A good chance fell to Calvin Kadi on nine minutes when he received the ball inside the box but, just before pulling the trigger to take a shot, Greg Etafia charged him down to push the ball out for a corner.

The Clever Boys were certainly dominating the early stages of the game and they saw another chance at goal go begging when Papy Faty sent his effort flying over the target eight minutes later.

Etafia denied Ngcobo of the opening goal just before the half hour mark. The towering striker, who finished as the Player of Q3, cut inside into the box and fired a powerful effort which saw the ‘keeper palm away with both gloves.

Gavin Hunt’s men created two chances in the final stages of the opening stanza with Shongwe forcing a save from Etafia, while Sibusiso Vilakazi fired his shot over the bar.

Wits came out firing with all cylinders at the restart and they saw Ngcobo nod in a cross down the center of the box, however, Etafia was equal to it.

Kadi then drilled his shot just wide of the post in the 54th minute, while Zeca Marques threw on Lerato Chabangu and Luvhengo Mungomeni onto the park.

Moeneeb Josephs did brilliantly to deny Lerato Chabangu the opening goal when he pulled off a great reflex save in the 69th minute, tipping the Bafana Bafana player’s set-piece over the bar.

The Dube Birds started to apply more pressure as the game drew on and it saw Rudi Isaacs sting the side netting of Josephs’ goal midway through the second-half.

Wits snatched the win at the death when Vilakazi rolled the ball across the face goal in the 83rd minute, allowing for Getaneh Kebede to tap it in at the near post completely unmarked.

Kebede had the ball in the back of the net again only to see it ruled out for offside and before the game finished off in dramatic fashion with two late goals.

Lefa Tsutsulupa thought he had salvaged a draw with his half-volley in the first minute of stoppage time, before Vilakazi slammed home a late goal to make it 2-1 to the home team.

Bidvest Wits (0) 2 (Kebede 83’, Vilakazi 93’)

Moroka Swallows (0) 1 (Tsutsulupa 91’)

Bidvest Wits: Josephs, Gumede, Kadi (Langwe 69’), Ntshangase, Bhasera, Mngonyama, Nhlapo, Shongwe (Ngalande 82’), Vilakazi, Faty, Ngcobo (Kebede 69’)

Moroka Swallows: Etafia, Isaacs, Da Costa, Hendricks (Mungomeni 67’), Mapemba, Mbekile, Tsutsulupa, Bereng (Nergadze 81’), Mabalane, Nomvethe (Chabangu 62’), Obada

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