DURBAN – Dumisani Zuma chose the perfect moment to register his first goal for Kaizer Chiefs as his 85th-minute strike sealed a 1-0 Premiership win over Ajax Cape Town at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday night.
Chiefs had outplayed Ajax all evening long, but despite creating a string of goal-scoring chances, it was looking to be a frustrating evening for them.
That was until Zuma’s goal decided the game and moved the Glamour Boys up to second on the standings, six points behind Mamelodi Sundowns.
Chiefs dominated the opening stanza but with the exception of Bernard Parker’s shot from a tight angle eight minutes before half time which brushed the upright, the Soweto side never really looked like scoring.
Earlier on, there had been an anxious moment for Ajax when Mario Booysen lifted a cross over his own crossbar in the 16th minute, while Parker was not far off with a 36th-minute header.
Ajax were close to sneaking the lead six minutes before halftime when Thabo Mosadi’s cross was deflected into play by Chiefs keeper Itumeleng Khune, the ball only just eluding the sliding Tashreeq Morris.
Second-half proceedings were scrappy with both sides struggling to keep the ball before Chiefs created a chance in the 58th minute, which saw Gustavo Paez firing wide from close range.
Ajax defender Isaac Nhlapo then appeared fortunate not to be penalised, after he clattered Paez inside the box two minutes later.
The Soweto side were to again take command of the game as Khotso Malope fired an effort just wide, before Teenage Hadebe headed off target and George Maluleka went close with a thumping shot.
As the game moved into the final 10 minutes it began to look as if the Cape side might be able to hang on for the point.
But former Bloemfontein Celtic winger Zuma had other ideas as the latched onto a loose ball in the box, before clinically firing past Jody February to give the Chiefs fans at the stadium in Durban, and those around the country, a nice early Christmas present.