Cape Town – Ajax Cape Town are in a race against time to get new coach Muhsin Ertugral’s work permit ready before Wednesday’s clash against Kaizer Chiefs after a communication breakdown on the bench possibly cost them maximum points in the Cape derby against Chippa United.
The Turk watched the 1-1 stalemate from the VIP area in the stands of Philippi Stadium on Saturday night, after replacing Jan Versleijen last Thursday. Former head of technical affairs Jan Pruijn and the club’s under-19 coach David Nyathi was on the bench for the encounter.
Ertugral was livid after winger Abia Nale’s dismissal for a second bookable offence during the second half of the encounter. According to a well-placed source in the Ajax camp, Ertugral instructed the Ajax bench to replace Nale 10 minutes before he was shown a second yellow card for a needless late challenge close to the halfway line.
The red card gave Chippa a sniff, and the home side attacked at will, as Ajax scrambled to close down the extra man. Chippa were rewarded 15 minutes from the end when Welcome Qalanto cancelled out Mabhuti Khenyeza’s first-half strike.
The draw meant that neither of the Cape teams could take advantage of their rivals’ slip-ups this weekend after AmaZulu, Black Leopards and Golden Arrows were all on the losing side.
If it wasn’t for the heroics of centre back Matthew Booth, who seemed to lose a lot of blood after a clash of heads in the first half, Ajax probably wouldn’t still be enjoying a three-point cushion over Chippa.
He headed almost everything away that came in his direction, and was simply outstanding in marshalling the troops at the back in the face of a ferocious second-half onslaught by the Chilli Boys.
“I think this was the sort of game that Matthew Booth was 100 percent a value for Ajax,” Pruijn said after the match.
“This is without a doubt someone that you need. Playing already with a bald head, and then with a head injury as well, it shows the type of team man he is. Every duel was good, and I think he played a good game.”
So, to avoid any further mishaps on the bench, Ajax will be hoping Ertugral’s papers are sorted out before their highly-anticipated league clash against Amakhosi at Cape Town Stadium on Wednesday (kickoff 5pm).
On the field, Ertugral would also want to see more spark upfront, as the Parow outfit looked incoherent on attack, and devoid of any creativity.
Chippa coach Mark Harrison celebrated Qalanto’s equaliser by running on the field with a big pump of his fist. But he knows that they could have easily beaten this Ajax side on Saturday night.
“The game swung in our favour when the boy (Nale) got sent off, and it was one-way traffic after that in the second half. We had a few chances, and I feel we could have won the game really. I’m disappointed that we didn’t,” Harrison said after the game.
The Englishman still hasn’t tasted defeat in charge of Chippa, with five points from three matches so far. But in all those matches, they had to come from behind to get a result.
It’s an issue Harrison has got to get right this week before the team’s trip to Orlando Pirates tomorrow evening, as their gameplan will be better suited if they score first.
“We started slowly. In the first three games since I have been here, we have started on the back foot. I don’t know why, although maybe it reflects that the team have been on a losing streak,” he said.
“When the players enter the field, they might be a little apprehensive, with a fear of losing the game.
“I told them at the end of the game we have got to get rid of it, because we have three games left where you have got to be committed, and embrace playing football.”
PSL FIXTURES
Tuesday: Orlando Pirates v Chippa United (Orlando Stadium, 7.30pm), Mamelodi Sundowns v Free State Stars (Loftus Versfeld, 7.30pm).
Wednesday: Ajax Cape Town v Kaizer Chiefs (Cape Town Stadium, 5pm), University of Pretoria v Wits (Tuks Stadium, 7.30pm), Moroka Swallows v Golden Arrows (Dobsonville Stadium, 7.30pm), AmaZulu v Black Leopards (Princess Magogo Stadium, 7.30pm), Platinum Stars v Maritzburg United (Royal Bafokeng Stadium, 7.30pm), Bloemfontein Celtic v SuperSport United (Free State Stadium, 7.30pm). – Cape Times