VICTORY for Bidvest Wits tonight could break the hearts of Kaizer Chiefs who are in the middle celebrating the club’s 49th anniversary.
Despite his team’s poor home record in the first round of the Absa Premiership campaign, Wits coach Gavin Hunt is banking on wins in his team’s home games against the big three – Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns – in the second round.
Hunt yesterday stressed the importance of picking up maximum points against the three top teams vying for the championship.
In the first half of the season, the Clever Boys collected seven points from the big guns, beating Soweto giants Chiefs and Pirates and holding the Brazilians to a 1-1 draw.
Chiefs are the first of the three teams visiting Wits at Milpark Stadium tonight (7.30pm).
Hunt’s men cruised to a comfortable 3-1 victory against Amakhosi in the first round at the FNB Stadium.
But this time things would be different with coach Ernst Middendorp at the helm.
The Clever Boys lead the pack with 33 points from 16 games, while the visiting Amakhosi occupy eighth place with 21 points from the same number of games.
Hunt believes Chiefs, Pirates and Sundowns will cancel each other along the route, but his challenge is to play his cards right.
But the trick for him is that all of the Clever Boys’ three defeats this season happened at Milpark Stadium, but he is hoping for a change of fortune this time around.
In all honesty, Wits are favourites to win tonight to complete a double over Amakhosi, considering the injury crisis at Naturena.
Hunt’s boys are going into this game at the back of a 2-1 victory over their bogey side Free State Stars, while Amakhosi were beaten 2-1 in a pick of last week’s matches against Downs.
But Hunt will not want a repeat of their last home game of the season when his side squandered a two goal lead to draw the match 2-2 against Golden Arrows.
Hunt is eyeing three successive wins in the league to consolidate his side’s lead at the top of the log.
“If you have Chiefs, Pirates and Sundowns at home in the second round, you know what you have to do,” Hunt added.
“The second round is tougher than the first one.
“There are tough matches and we have to try and get results.”
Hunt, who has clinched the league title four times, knows what is at take to win the PSL crown.
“Sundowns are by far the best team in the league, Pirates are mounting a strong challenge – it’s a tough league,” said Hunt.
“Chiefs are struggling but very dangerous.”
