SuperSport knock Wits out

Dove Wome

Johannesburg - Goals by Dove Wome and Lebogang Manyama gave SuperSport United a 2-1 win at Bidvest Wits to send them through to the Telkom Knockout semifinals.

Chris Katongo pulled one back for the home side after SuperSport had gone 1-0 ahead, but SuperSport scored twice against the run of play using swift counter attacks.

SuperSport United coach Gordon Igesund made two changes to his team that lost 4-1 to Maritzburg United in midweek with Mor Diouf coming in for the injured Thamsanqa Teyise and Thato Mokeke replacing Lebogang Manyama.

Meanwhile Gavin Hunt made four changes to his Wits side that lost to Polokwane City in midweek. Sameehg Doutie dropped out the team due to him being on loan from SuperSport to Wits and not allowed to play against his parent club in cup games.

It took only two minutes for a goal to come when SuperSport hit the home side on a counter attack after Wits gave the ball away during a corner kick. Dino Ndlovu broke free and passed to Dove Wome who made no mistake.

But the Clever Boys were back in it after 12 minutes when Henrico Botes did well to put Chris Katongo through on goal and the experienced Zambia slotted easily past Ronwen Williams, who slipped as he rushed off his line.

Katongo came close again in the 19th minute when his header beat Williams in goal and crashed off the woodwork. Nine minutes later, Katongo tried an acrobatic attempt to strike the ball goalwards, but he could not execute it properly.

In the 32nd minute Williams did well to save Sibusiso Vilakazi’s free kick before Dino Ndlovu almost got round Moeneeb Josephs to score on the other end for the visitors.

Two minutes into the second half and Ndlovu comes close to number two for the visitors, and moments later he had to be substituted after take a blow to the face with the ball and was knocked unconscious.

On the hour mark Wits keeper Moeneeb Josephs made a great save to deny Manyama from close range after he struck the ball sweetly following a low cross into the box.

But five minutes later SuperSport did grab their second goal when Manyama cut inside Buhle Mkhwanazi and fired in a low shot past Josephs following yet another swift counter attack. This time, SuperSport scored after soaking up a flurry of attacks on their own goal by Wits’ attacking players.

In the final ten minutes, Bidvest Wits threw everything forward in search of an equaliser but it was not to be.