The much-publicised decision to play a home Premier Soccer League (PSL) game against Kaizer Chiefs at the compact Bidvest Stadium before a tickets-only 5 000 crowd on Sunday afternoon proved a success for Wits University — the only problem was losing 1-0 in the process.
Certainly, the loss to the Amakhosi was not part of the scheme of things in hot, sultry conditions as the Students failed to recover from a soft close-range seventh-minute goal by Kaizer Motaung Jnr and laboured tentatively and tensely for much of the proceedings in a match that generally lacked inspiration.
Still, CEO Trevor Phillips and chief operations officer Ronnie Schloss enthused over the security arrangements that went without a hitch and resulted in what top PSL officials described as ”a precedent set in stone” for teams playing home league matches at the venue of their choice — as long as the facilities and security are up to scratch.
A wits defence that was as leaky as a sieve provided goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs with nightmares as he valiantly succeeded in keeping the goal tally down — Chiefs were allowed half-a-dozen or so gilt-edged opportunities.
But Motaung Jnr and Siyabonga Nkosi, in particular, as well as Arthur Zwane and Gert Schalkwyk dithered and deliberated in front of goal and allowed chance after chance to slip from their grasp.
Only a sensational 88th-minute save from a scorching Marawan Bantam free-kick enabled Chiefs to hold on to the three points that were badly needed as they bid to end a recent slump and remain in contention for a top-eight finish on the log.
Wits, on the other hand, continued their alarming decline after an impressive start to the season and much-vaunted Brazilian striker Marcos de Jesus maintained his form slump with an innocuous performance.
The early strike by Chiefs proved the decisive factor in a huffing-and-puffing game between teams whose tactical format is based on counter-attack.
After Chiefs’ string of recent defeats and frailty in defence, coach Ernst Middendorp opted for a safety-first formation that earmarked Jimmy Tau to act as a fifth defender in front of a backline of four.
And the Chiefs coach looked as though he could hardly believe his team’s good fortune as Wits tied themselves in knots and gave Amakhosi the early lead on a plate.
In other games on Sunday, Benoni Premier United held fancied SuperSport United to a
goalless draw at Mehlareng Stadium in steamy conditions in Tembisa, while Jomo Cosmos beat Santos 2-1 at the Ackerville Stadium in Witbank — Sapa