Absa Premiership
Result: Golden Arrows 0-1 Bidvest Wits
Date: 12 December 2019
Venue: Sugar Xulu Stadium
Bidvest Wits jumped from ninth to fifth spot in the Absa Premiership after defeating Golden Arrows in tough conditions at the Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium.
Click through the gallery to see the wet conditions in Durban on Thursday evening.
Abafana Bes'thende head coach Steve Komphela made three changes from their loss to Black Leopards, as Nkosingiphile Gumede replaced Edmore Sibanda in goal, while Divine Lunga returned to boost the side alongside Lungelo Dube, who got a rare start in the league.
Meanwhile, Wits boss Gavin Hunt made four changes from their their narrow loss to Djoliba in Mali, as shot-stopper Ricardo Goss, Sameehg Doutie, Deon Hotto and Gift Motupa returned to the starting team.
After a lively opening, the Clever Boys nearly went ahead in the 14th minute after Motupa broke away on the left side of the box but his low shot was saved by Gumede at the near post.
The visitors were fortunate to get a penalty in the 32nd minute after Gumede's sliding save towards the charging Motupa got him in trouble, as his trailing body collided with the Wits forwar, who stepped up himself to convert the spot-kick, 1-0.
Arrows had a great chance to level matters with five minutes remaining of the first stanza after Lindokuhle Mtshali pounced on a loose ball at the back post but his goal-bound low shot was cleared on the line by Buhlebuyeza Mkhwanazi.
The Clever Boys came close to going a second goal just after the break, as Thulani Hlatshwayo's header crashed the outside of the post before a free-kick by Elias Pelembe came off the crossbar just after the hour-mark, with Gumede well beaten.
Komphela's troops were also awarded a penalty with 20 minutes remaining after Hotto clipped the on-rushing Siyabonga Dube inside the box but they could not level matters, as Knox Mutizwa's spot-kick crashed against the right post and sailed out.
Terrence Dzvukamanja, who came on for Pelembe with eight minutes remaining had a glorious chance to put the game to bed for Wits, after Gumede made a howler from a looped shot, but the Zimbabwean forward hit a low shot that was saved by the shot-stopper as the encounter finished 1-0 to the visitors.
Here's how they lined up:
Arrows: 32. Gumede, 14. S. Dube, 29. Sibisi, 20. Mathiane, 13.Lunga, 16. Parusnath, 23. L.Dube, 26. Phiri, 15. Makhubela, 35. Mtshali, 18. Mutizwa.
Subs: 1. Mbaeava, 2. Nkombelo, 11. Sibiya, 22. Sibeko, 3. Buthelezi, 17. Conco, 31. Zuke.
Wits: 23. Goss, 3. Hlatswayo, 7.Pelembe, 8. Monare, 11. Hotto, 13. Hlanti, 15. Mkhwanazi, 17. Alexander, 21. Doutie, 24. Macheke, 25. Motupa.
Subs: 1. Peterson, Douhadji, 14. Nange, Khunyedi, 36, Macuphu, 37. Dzvukamanja.
