Wits crowned champions
Bidvest Wits landed a historic first Absa Premiership title when they went five points clear at the top of the standings after a glorious 2-0 win over Polokwane City at the Bidvest Stadium on Wednesday night.
The victory was a splendid reward for coach Gavin Hunt and his team who campaigned bravely all season and even though they the clinched the championship on Wednesday night, they may have had to wait for the final round of fixtures if their nearest rivals Mamelodi Sundowns had not been held to a draw by Maritzburg United.
The final round of fixtures will be played on Saturday, 27 May.
Wits were off to the perfect start when they opened the scoring in the third minute after a tame raid down the right flank deep into the Polokwane half. Wits’James Keene met a resultant goalmouth cross with a diving header which screamed past the Polokwane keeper George Chigova.
Undaunted by the early setback, Rise and Shine kept pressing forward with frequent attacking sorties but it took some time before they threatened a breakthrough. Around the 28th minute onwards, they fashioned two opportunities which lacked the finishing touch and were skied over the Wits crossbar.
Wits, on the other hand, were penetrative when they worked their way upfield but they seldom looked like adding to their lead. After they had absorbed a fair amount of pressure they forced two corners in quick succession around the 37th-minute mark but were unable to capitalise.
Three minutes before halftime, both sets of defences were under pressure but both remained intact. Polokwane striker Rodney Ramagalela let rip with a long-range effort which whisked low past the upright.
In the next minute, Wits waged a strong counter which ended up with Elias Pelembe unleashing a low drive which Chigova deflected for a corner.
As second-half play wore on, both sides enjoyed a fair share of the possession without looking like breaking down the opposition defences until Wits midfielder Daine Klate intervened in emphatic fashion on the hour mark. He ran onto a through ball and scored with an angled left-footed scorcher from just inside the penalty area. Chigova was left dry and high as he watched the ball enter the net (2-0).
Soon afterwards the jittery Rise and Shine came close to conceding another but by that time sufficient damage had been done and Wits were content to sit on their 2-0 cushion.