Ajax go down to late Wits strike

Ajax Cape Town defender Erick Chipeta and Wits striker Eleazar Rodgers both scored goals at the Cape Town Stadium on Wednesday night. Photo: Chris Ricco, BackpagePix

Ajax Cape Town defender Erick Chipeta and Wits striker Eleazar Rodgers both scored goals at the Cape Town Stadium on Wednesday night. Photo: Chris Ricco, BackpagePix

Published Oct 26, 2016

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Ajax Cape Town’s luck looked to have changed, but a late sucker-punch saw Wits take all three points in a 2-1 Premiership victory at the Cape Town Stadium on Wednesday night.

The Urban Warriors went into the game on a six-match winless streak, having drawn two and lost three in the league, and gone down 1-0 in extra time to SuperSport United in the Telkom Knockout at the weekend.

So Ajax coach Roger de Sa would’ve been desperate for a victory, and having re-jigged his line-up somewhat following last Saturday’s defeat in Atteridgeville, he would’ve been hoping for a positive return.

And the changes paid off, with experienced midfielder Mark “Prof” Mayambela being the driving force at the heart of Ajax’s attacking forays. The cultured left-footer – who hails from Khayelitsha but is playing for his first pro Cape club – made a number of powerful surges forward on the night, and one of those ended up in a goal.

Mayambela was brought down just outside the Wits box in the 23rd minute, but the ball squeezed through to an unmarked Prince Nxumalo in the box. The prolific Ajax striker was a sure bet to beat Darren Keet in goal, but referee Victor Gomes surprisingly blew the whistle for the foul on Mayambela instead of playing advantage.

De Sa was justifiably furious on the bench, but his anger quickly turned into a wry smile as defender Erick Chipeta stepped up and beautifully curled the ball over the Wits wall and into the top corner for a terrific goal.

Nxumalo nearly made it 2-0 a few minutes later after a great run and shot, but his effort was fired across the face of goal and missed everyone with Keet at full stretch.

Gavin Hunt’s Wits team is filled with quality players all over the place, and it didn’t take long for star left-sided midfielder Daine Klate to have an influence on proceedings. His looping header proved troublesome for the Ajax defence in the 37th minute, and the ball fell for Gabadinho Mhango, who blasted it into the net.

The assistant referee, though, flagged for offside, but TV replays showed that the “goal” should’ve been allowed to stand as Mhango was onside.

To their credit, Ajax kept pushing forward after halftime, with Mayambela and Nxumalo again going close, but their lack of finishing proved costly in the end.

Just as De Sa would’ve thought that the win was in the bag, Wits substitute Elias Pelembe produced a wonderful cross from the right that found captain Thulani Hlatshwayo, whose header rattled the crossbar after a slight touch by Ajax goalkeeper Jody February.

But Bafana Bafana striker Eleazar Rodgers proved again what an excellent goal-poacher he is by leaping up to head past February for the equaliser in the 69th minute.

At that stage, De Sa would’ve been happy with the point, but Wits was determined to move up the Premiership table with a victory, and it came just two minutes from the end when Botswana Mogakolodi Ngele fired through a number of bodies following a free kick to beat February.

Wits move up to third on the log with 10 points after four matches, behind Kaizer Chiefs and Golden Arrows (both 13), while Ajax remain rooted to second-last position with just two points from six matches.

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