A brace from Sibusiso Vilakazi saw BidVest Wits move up to the eighth spot on the Absa Premiership log, after the students beat Black Leopards 2-1 in a league match at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Sunday afternoon.

It was the worst possible start for the struggling Leopards side, as some slack marking in defence allowed Wits to take the lead as early as the third minute. Sifiso Myeni was given way too much space in the middle of the park and he was afforded the time to pick out an unmarked Sibusiso Vilakazi with a through ball straight down the middle of the park. Under no pressure, the Students’ attacker easily rounded the keeper and played the ball into an empty net to give his side the lead.

Thereafter, however, it was Leopards who looked the more threatening of the two sides as they pressed forward in search of an equaliser. Despite controlling the game, it was evident their coach Vladislav Heric was growing visibly frustrated on the sideline as the team squandered their possession with some poor passing.

Heric would have been happy with their 21st minute leveller. For a change, Nkosiyabo Xakane supplied a perfect cross from the left flank to pick out an unmarked Thabo Mongalo. He made no mistake with a clinical ten-yard header, giving the keeper no chance.

In the 32nd minute Leopards nearly took the lead, when Mongalo snuck in front of the Wits defence at a corner-kick to make a near post header, but he saw his eight-yard effort strike the woodwork and bounce away from danger. The excitement of almost taking the lead was quickly diminished for Leopards when they conceded their second goal four minutes later.

Patrick Phungwayo drove into the danger area, beating three defenders, before losing control of the ball. Luckily for the Wits man the loose ball fell to the unmarked Sibusiso Vilakazi only six-yards out and he made no mistake, calmly stroking the ball home for his second of the day. Vilakazi nearly grabbed his third seconds before the half time break, but he saw his powerfully struck 18-yard shot superbly saved by Postnett Omony, diving full stretch to his left to make a fingertip save to deny the striker his goal.

The second half was not nearly as exciting as the first, as both teams seemed little uninspired after the break. Wits, though, seemed content to sit back in defence and soak up the pressure and it appeared a safe option, because Leopards were extremely poor in the final third of the field.

In the end, it was a half with no clear cut chances on goal and the match finished 2-1 in favour of the students. - Backpagemedia