CAPE TOWN – Platinum Stars secured their first win in the league this season, with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Ajax Cape Town in their Premiership match at Royal Bafokeng Stadium on Wednesday.
A 51st-minute free kick from Vuyo Mere proved to be the difference between the sides, as Stars collected a welcome three-pointer.
Stars, however, remain bottom of the table, but now have seven points from 10 games – one behind defending league champions Bidvest Wits in 15th place on eight points.
For Ajax, they remain on eight points from nine games in 14th position on the log.
With the game in its infancy, scoring opportunities were scarce.
Stars had the first decent chance of the evening in the 12th minute, but Bongi Ntuli’s free header was just wide.
Mere began to threaten just after the 20-minute mark, but his shot lacked any real power as Ajax goalkeeper Jody February made an easy gather.
Just before the break, Roscoe Pietersen rattled a header into the woodwork as the visitors looked to take the lead.
Chances accrued for both sides in the second stanza, most notably for Ajax’s Prince Nxumalo, who also struck the Platinum Stars’ post.
Ultimately, it would be Stars who held on for the win in what they would desperately hope is the start of a dramatic change in fortunes.