CAF Confederations Cup

Result:  Bidvest Wits 0-3 Azam

Date:  12 March 2016

Venue:  Bidvest Stadium

Bidvest Wits were crushed 3-0 by Azam in an entertaining CAF Confederations Cup encounter at the Bidvest Stadium.

The match started on a fast pace as both sides made their intentions clear from the onset. The visitors were not shying away from the fierce challenges in the middle of the park, making life difficult for the South African outfit.

Azam began to gain some momentum as the match progressed but it was Wits who came close to taking the lead with a Joaqim Lupeta shot on the stroke of half-time.

Sheppard had a sweet effort just after the restart, but the Wits player’s effort was skewed off target. The hosts continued to look good, but it was Azam who took the lead in the 51^st minute after Salum pounced onto a loose ball following a corner, 1-0.

Before the home side could regain control of the match, Kapombe doubled the visitors’ lead after intercepting Moerane’s back pass to neatly slot the ball past a helpless Jethren Barr, 2-0.

Three minutes later, The Students’ nightmares continued as Bocco extended Azam’s lead to 3-0 with a sweet 60^th minute effort. Lupeta almost provided Wits’ response straight away but the forward pulled his strike just wide.

Gavin Hunt’s charges upped the tempo in search of their first of the tie, and Sekese forced a superb parried save from the visiting ‘keeper with his 78^th minute effort. The hosts continued to dominate the closing exchanges, and Lupeta came agonizingly close in the 84^th minute, but the visitors managed to hold on for the 3-0 victory.

Bidvest Wits XI:  01. Barr, 4. Moerane, 5. Lecki, 12. Pule, 13. Lupeta, 20. Nhlapo, 23. Mosiatlhaga, 24. Bhasera, 24. Khumalo, 29. Sheppard, 30. Motshwari.

Substitutes:  Mbanjwa, Hlatshwayo, Klate, Mkatshana, Pelembe, Jordon, Sekese.

Azam XI:28 Aishi Manula ,4 Shomari Kapombe ,14 Ramadhan Singano, 6 Erasto Nyoni, 5 Pascal Wawa,13 Aggrey Morris ,23 Himid Mao, 29 Michael Bolou ,8 Salum Abubakar ,19 John Bocco (C),11 Didier Kavumbagu

Substitutes:1 Mwadini Ally, 26 Wazir Salum, 18 Frank Domayo, 22 Khamis Mcha ,12 David Mwantika, 20 Mudathir Yahya ,17 Farid Mussa

Collins Okinyo

Ex- CAF Media Expert. An expert on African football with over 15 years experience ,always with an ear to the ground with indepth knowledge of the game. I have worked for top publications including 7 years at www.supersport.com until i founded www.soka25east.com to quench the thirst of football lovers across the continent. I have trained young upcoming journalists who are now a voice in African football.I have covered World Cup,AFCON,CHAN,Champions League,Confederations Cup,Cecafa,Cosafa,Wafu and many other football tournaments across the World. Founder Football Africa Arena(FAA),Founder www.afrisportdigital.com