BidVest Wits maybe top of the Absa Premiership with an unbeaten record, but coach Roger de Sa is not getting carried away.
Wits face a test of character when they meet Platinum Stars in what promises to be a keenly fought Premiership showdown at Rustenburg’s Olympia Park on Wednesday night. Kick-off is at 7.30pm.
Said De Sa: ”It is much too early in the season to read too much into our early form. But one thing is for sure, I would rather be at the top than at the bottom after three matches. But I rate Stars and their coach, Miguel Gamondi, highly. They always give us a hard time and they will again prove to be difficult opponents.”
Wits have beaten Santos, Free State Stars and drawn away to Orlando Pirates, who are propping up the table with one point and no goals.
The Students are top of the table with seven points from three matches, while Stars have four points.
Said De Sa: ”The three teams we have played are in the wrong half of the league, so Stars will give us a better idea of where we stand. I simply want to keep the unbeaten momentum going. The lads are up for this game but playing Stars away makes it more difficult.”
Stars have had a more difficult three games, having beaten AmaZulu away, lost at home to champions SuperSport United and then earned a creditable away draw against Golden Arrows at the weekend.
The Wits coach said he had three or four players injured and who would face late fitness tests. He is hoping his Brazilian midfielder, David, will make his debut alongside his countryman, Fabricio, who both joined Wits in the off-season. David injured his ankle in the pre-season Kings Cup tournament in Durban.
”David faces a late fitness test. I am hoping he will pass it and give me more options in the middle of the park. There are others who were in the side that beat Free State Stars who could be missing.
”David is, like Fabricio, an exciting midfielder who could set things up for us this season.”
Also returning after missing the Free State Stars match through injury is young left back Patrick Phungwayo, who will add steel to a defence that has yet to concede a goal in a competitive match this season.
”Obviously we want to keep the goals against at zero for as long as possible. I am very pleased about how solid we have been defensively.”
But the Wits defence faces a stern test against the likes of Stars’ ace striker Simba Marumo, Henrico Botes and their South American striker, Luis Renteria.
Bloemfontein Celtic, who collected their first point of the season in their home 0-0 draw against unbeaten Maritzburg United at the weekend face another tough hurdle when they travel to the Athlone Stadium to play Ajax Cape Town in Wednesday night’s other fixture.
Celtic, under new coach Mich D’Avray, have got off to a slow start but are gaining momentum. Ajax were unlucky to go down 2-0 against Kaizer Chiefs at Loftus last Saturday and they will be keen to get back on to the winning trail.
The danger man for Celtic is Ajax striker Mabhudi Khenyeza, who missed a number of easy chances against his old club, Amakhosi. He will be out to make amends and he can expect solid support from the likes of Sifiso Vilakazi, Scott Granwald and Sameehg Doutie. Kick-off is also at 7.30pm. — Sapa