In a match dubbed as ‘the university encounter’ Bidvest Wits edged out the University of Pretoria 1-0 in an Absa Premiership match played at the Bidvest Stadium on Wednesday night.

Sibusiso Vilakazi scored the match’s only goal as the Clever Boys picked up their second successive league win to move to second position on the log standings.

AmaTuks nearly took the lead in the second minute when Geofrey Massa unleashed a thunderous 40-yard long range free kick shot which Wits keeper Moeneeb Josephs spectacularly parried for a corner kick. It looked goal bound for the top corner of the net.

The home side could have opened the scoring in the 20th minute when Ryan Chapman brilliantly back-heeled the ball to Matthew Pattison on the edge of the box, the latter was one-on-one with AmaTuks keeper Washington Arubi but could only blast his shot into his arms.

The visitors were dealt a huge blow when Massa had to leave the field in the 30th to be replaced by Thabo Mosadi after he had suffered a knock after being tackled by Wits centre-half Matthew Booth.

On the stroke of halftime Mpho Matsi forced Josephs into a low save when he cracked a 25-yard attempt at goal but the Wits keeper scrambled and gathered gingerly as both sides went into the interval deadlocked at 0-0.

In the 57th minute, Wits were dealt a huge blow when their striker Calvin Kadi was sent off for an early shower. The forward was penalised for a second yellow card offence when he went into a 50-50 challenge with AmaTuks defender Buhle Mkhwanazi.

Despite the setback, the 10 men of Wits rallied and found the game’s opening goal through their inspirational captain. Vilakazi beat a couple of AmaTus defenders as he cut in from the left side of the field and curled the ball into the top corner beyond the reach of an outstretched Arubi in the 63rd minute.

AmaTuks tried with long range shots in an attempt to salvage something from the match but Josephs remained stern in the Wits goal as he fended off the string of attacks from Steve Barker’s men.

Bidvest Wits (0) 1 (Vilakazi 63’)

University of Pretoria 0

Wits: Josephs, Gumede, Booth, Mngonyama, Bhasera, Pattison (Timm 57’), Nhlapo, Faty, Vilakazi (Bilankulu 89’), Chapman (Benjani 46’), Kadi

Tuks: Arubi, Moussono-Moussono (Selolwane 65’), Mkhwanazi, Shoyisa, Kekana, Zwane, Ketjijere, Matsi (Phalane 71’), Lemessa, Nyondo, Massa (Mosadi 30’)