Bethlehem – As far as cup games go, this was truly forgettable. It didn’t come as a surprise, though, with these two sides having met a week earlier in Joburg and sharing the spoils in a goalless draw that Free State Stars finished with 10-men, some sort of a “win” earning a league point away from home.
They were in their own backyard yesterday and again triumphed – for real this time by winning on penalties that can be described as a classic game of two halves, as dull as it was to watch.
Ea Lla Koto will not care because they booked themselves a place in the last four of the competition and are edging closer to the R7 million prizemoney.
Wits, on the other hand, are now likely to finish the season trophy-less.
Those who expected this Nedbank Cup quarter-final clash to be explosive over-reached in their hopes for a thrilling tie.
Chances were few and far between, the best falling to striker Ayanda Nkosi after he beat the off-side trap from the Free State Stars defence, but did not make the most of it.
The burly forward found himself clean through on goal in the 54th minute and took too long to shoot and was left with the only option of setting up his teammate, Danny Venter. He, too, didn’t get to the ball quick enough. No goal.
No thrill – the stalemate the week before in the Absa Premiership was easier on the eye.
It had more pace, more chances and a player was sent off, suggesting that tackles were also flying in.
At times it was more entertaining watching Gavin Hunt, the Wits coach, being animated in the dugout than it was watching the game itself.
Credit should go to the home side, who took advantage of the fact that it has become a bit of a mental block for the Clever Boys to believe they can actually beat them.
In three games between them this season, Wits have suffered a narrow 1-0 loss in the Telkom Knockout Cup back in September and two league matches have ended in a share of the spoils.
Hunt argued last week his men should have won by a “cricket score”, but pundits and journalists thought he was smoking his socks.
This game was summed up by a wild effort from Daine Klate in the 90th minute when the Wits winger sent his free-kick flying into the stands.
If you know the precision at which Klate takes his set-pieces, then you will understand how surprising it was not to see him hit the target or at least force goalkeeper Johnny Mathole to make a save.
Soon after, referee Robert Smith blew the final whistle to confirm the game would be heading into extra-time.
Smith was anonymous as the man in the middle until then, but his decision to deny Wits what looked like a penalty when substitute Henrico Botes was pushed in the Stars box by defender Justice Chabalala not long after the start of extra time.
Smith, unlike his colleague Victor Gomes, who is notorious for dishing out red cards and awarding penalties without even blinking, can sometimes be a bit soft – afraid to make controversial decisions.
The game was instead left to the lottery of penalties, where Stars converted all five spot-kicks and Sifiso Hlanti missed his for Wits and left it to Nkosi to win it for Giovanni Solinas’ men.
Goble Park, Bethlehem
Free State Stars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
Bidvest Wits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0
After extra time
Stars won 5-4 on penalties
– The Sunday Independent