Bidvest Wits (2)
Hlatshwayo 27 Nange 29
Chippa United (0)
The Clever Boys' progression to the Nedbank Cup quarterfinals should have been via a much more convincing scoreline.
But such is the nature of knockout football that victory - no matter the kind - is all that matters.
Phathu Nange should have had at least a hat-trick while Elias Pelembe left the pitch wondering just why his name was not on the scoresheet.
Not that it all mattered, the two first half goals scored within two minutes of each other proving good enough to send Gavin Hunt's men into the last eight of the country's premier club knockout competition.
Pelembe might have not found the net, the former Mozambique skipper having his brilliantly struck free kick from the edge of the box. But he played an influential role in both the goals alright. It was he who delivered the corner kick that saw captain Thulani Hlatshwayo head home the opener on 27 minutes.
Two minutes later, he was again the architect of yet another corner kick which was taken short with Thabang Monare and then laid on for Nange to smash home the second goal from outside the box.
At 2-0 up before the half hour mark against a team that hardly testwd their goalkeeper, Wits appeared destined for the equivalent of a Sunday stroll in the park.
But Veli Muthwa denied Monare on 53 minutes and then pulled off a quick double safe just 60 seconds thereafter to push out Pelembe's sweetly struck free kick and then block Nange's attempt on the loose ball.
Nange watched with disbelief on 63 minutes when his free header from close range went inches wide of goal following a fantastic cross from Deon Hotto.
Some five minutes before the end, Nange tried a shot from outside the box but Muthwa was equal to the task and pulled off a great safe to deny the Wits man.
It all counted for nothing though as Wits reigned supreme to book their place in tonight's quarterfinal draw.