Match Preview – BIDVest Wits F.C vs Mamelodi Sundowns F.C

Competition: Absa Premiership

Date: 16 September 2009

Time: 20h00

Venue: BIDVest Stadium

Unbeaten Wits host the Brazilians

BIDVest Wits will look to continue their unbeaten start to the 2009/10 Absa Premiership season when they host Mamelodi Sundowns at the BIDVest Stadium on Wednesday evening, kick-off 20h00.

The Clever Boys were on the cusp of claiming their second league victory of the season this past weekend, leading Ajax Cape Town 1-0 until a late equaliser from Franklin Cale. The game ended 1-1 and Wits were forced to share the points – the fourth game in which Roger de Sa’s charges have been in the lead but ended up drawing the match.

The coach will no doubt be frustrated at having given away numerous points but explains that his young side is still on a learning curve when it comes to closing out games.

“We have a very young and inexperienced squad and that’s why we put conceding those equalisers down to naivety,” explained de Sa. “On the other hand, it’s not a bad thing to be disappointed when you get a draw away against Ajax. It shows that we’re on the right track.”

As for this week’s match against the Brazilians, the Wits coach is hoping that his side will be able to secure their first home win in the Absa Premiership.

“Sundowns got a good draw against SuperSport United in the weekend. We need to find our winning ways, especially at home. We have a young squad that will gain experience with every game.”

One man who will be itching to continue his good form when the Clever Boys host Sundowns is striker Calvin Kadi. The 21-year-old bagged his fifth goal in as many games when he scored past former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Hans Vonk in the game with Ajax and presently tops the goal scoring charts.

“It’s always a big motivation to play against a big team like Sundowns,” explained Kadi ahead of the match.

“We will come to the stadium fully prepared. We failed to win our last two matches at home, drawing against Maritzburg United and Bloemfontein Celtic. We surely want to book our first league win at home against Sundowns,” he concluded.

Wits will certainly hope to break Sundowns’ recent trend of winning on their visits to the BIDVest Stadium. The Brazilians have won each of their last three matches against the Clever Boys at the university ground and last tasted defeat in an away game against Wits all the way back in the 2003/04 season.

Head-to-Head Stats

1985

Wits 3 Sundowns 0

Sundowns 1 (Mahlangu) Wits 0

1986

Wits 2 (McGrellis 2) Sundowns 0

Sundowns 0 Wits 0

1987

Wits 1 (Anley) Sundowns 1 (Khuse)

Sundowns 1 (Lehodi) Wits 0

1988

Wits 0 Sundowns 2 (Johnson 2)

Sundowns 2 (Khuse, Legodi) Wits 1 (Mudie)

1989

Sundowns 2 (Chitja, Johnson) Wits 3 (Boyle 2, Mudie)

Wits 1 (Bwalya) Sundowns 1 (B.Masinga)

1990

Wits 1 (Ntombela (og)) Sundowns 2 (B.Masinga 2)

Sundowns 0 Wits 0

Bp Top 8 final 1^st leg – Sundowns 2 (Chafunya, Moosa) Wits 0

BP Top 8 final 2^nd leg – Wits 0 Sundowns 3 (B. Masinga 2, Chitja)

JPS Knockout semi final 1^st leg – Sundowns 0 Wits 0

JPS Knockout semi final 2^nd leg – Wits 1 (Gordon) Sundowns 2 (Moosa, B.Masinga)

1991

Sundowns 1 (Chirwali) Wits 0

Wits 1 (Kosseff) Sundowns 1 (Chirwali)

1992

Sundowns 2 (Makhumwa, Legodi) Wits 0

Wits 1 (Batchelor) Sundowns 0

1993

Wits 0 Sundowns 2 (Mudau, Choeu)

Sundowns 3 (B.Masinga, Shai 2) Wits 1 (Rowbatham)

1994

Wits 0 Sundowns 1 (P.Masinga)

Sundowns 1 (Motaung) Wits 2 (Simunji, Sephardi)

Coca Cola Cup 1^st Round – Sundowns 3 (B.Masinga, Moosa, Mudau) Wits 1 (Simunji)

1995

Wits 0 Sundowns 1 (Masilela)

Sundowns 2 (Masinga, R.Molefe) Wits 1 (McKinley)

1996

Wits 1 (Mukansi) Sundowns 0

1996/97

Sundowns 0 Wits 3 (Fredericks, Ewen, Chikoti)

Wits 2 (Hannan, Fredericks) Sundowns 0

1997/98

Sundowns 1 (Bapela) Wits 0

Wits 2 (Rafferty, Maake) Sundowns 4 (Chukwu 4)

1998/99

Sundowns 3 (Mudau, Mohlala 2) Wits 0

Wits 1 (Shaw) Sundowns 2 (Niemach 2)

Rothmans Cup 2^nd rd 1^st leg – Wits 0 Sundowns 1 (Chukwu)

Rothmans Cup 2^nd Rd 2^nd leg – Sundowns 2 (Mudau, B.Mnguni) Wits 1 (Chikoti)

1999/2000

Sundowns 3 (Bapela 2, T.Mnguni) Wits 0

Wits 3 (Coyle, Magalefa, Devine) Sundowns 0

2000/01

Wits 0 Sundowns 3 (Mudau 3)

Sundowns 1 (Chukwu) Wits 1 (Ntsonyana)

2001/02

Sundowns 1 (Marumo) Wits 1 (Ewen)

Wits 0 Sundowns 1 (Scott)

Coca Cola Cup – Sundowns 2 (Shai, McCarthy) Wits 0

2002/03

Sundowns 2 (Maluleke (pen), Bunjira) Wits 1 (Bianchi (og))

Wits 1 (Mhlongo) Sundowns 0

2003/04

Sundowns 0 Wits 0

Wits 1 (Quattara (og)) Sundowns 0

2004/05

Wits 0 Sundowns 0

Sundowns 3 (S.Ndlovu, Qaba (og), Chabangu) Wits 2 (Bito’o, Noble (pen))

Coca Cola quarter final – Wits 2 (Kapowezha, Noble) Sundowns 1 (Kilambe)

2006/07

Sundowns 2 (Torrealba, Moriri) Wits 0

Wits 0 Sundowns 2 (Torealba, Chabangu)

2007/08

Wits 1 (Chivuta) Sundowns 3 (Dladla, Chabangu, Carelse)

Sundowns 2 (Chabangu, Aldave) Wits 3 (Senokoane 2, Studzinski)

2008/09

Wits 1 (Mashamaite) Sundowns 2 (Winstanley (og), Vilakazi)

Summary

League matches played in brackets

Total             Sundowns     Wits

Home           Home

Played                              56 (47)         28 (23)         28 (24)

Sundowns won                  33 (26)         18 (14)         15 (12)

Wits won                           13 (12)         4 (4)             9 (8)

Drawn                               10 (9)           6 (5)             4 (4)

Sundowns goals                79 (63)         44 (35)         35 (28)

Wits goals                         47 (42)         21 (19)         26 (23)