AJAX WIN TO MOVE OUT OF RELEGATION ZONE
Ajax Cape Town have risen out of the Absa Premiership’s relegation zone with a 2-0 home win over SuperSport United at Athlone Stadium on Wednesday night.
The Urban Warriors, whose goals were scored by former United players Fagrie Lakay and Mario Booysen, rise to 14th place on the log on 24 points from 23 matches.
They are just two positions and two points behind Matsatsantsa, who have managed just one win in their last eight league matches.
Ajax flew out of the starting blocks and within the opening three minutes SuperSport goalkeeper Ronwen Williams had to make two sharp saves — one to deny Yannick Zakri from a tight angle and another to keep out a potential own goal from Clayton Daniels.
In the ninth minute a fine piece of play from Toriq Losper down the left of the penalty area ended with a low shot from the attacking midfielder which rebounded off the outside of the near post.
Another great chance for the hosts arrived in the 33rd minute when left-back Mosa Lebusa put in a fine cross to find the head of Zakri, but his glancing effort flashed just wide of the far post.
United offered virtually nothing in attack until the final minute of regulation time in the first half, with great work from Aubrey Modiba pulling Brandon Petersen out of position and gifting Grant Kekana a glaring chance, but the defender laboured in getting a shot away and was closed down by Lebusa.
The Urban Warriors were finally rewarded for their attacking endeavour five minutes into the second half: Losper won the ball in midfield, put Fagrie Lakay into space with a fine pass, and the young striker scored with a low shot from the edge of the box to make it 1-0.
United responded by withdrawing defender Azubuike Egwuekwe and putting on winger Thuso Phala, while Botswana attacker Mogakolodi Ngele also had an introduction with just under 20 minutes to play.
Yet it was Ajax who continued to look more dangerous in the final third and on 77 minutes they claimed a second through Mario Booysen, who showed great instincts to turn home a loose ball after Williams had fumbled a cross from Rodrick Kabwe.
Just a minute later the Matsatsantsa ‘keeper redeemed himself somewhat with an excellent save to deny Tendai Ndoro, who had broken through the defence to find himself one-on-one with the gloves-man.
Ajax Cape Town (0) 2 (Lakay 50’, Booysen 77’)
SuperSport United 0
Ajax: Petersen, Zwane (Kammies 80’), Pietersen, Booysen, Lebusa, Kabwe, Malepe, Nel, Losper, Zakri (Ndoro 64’), Lakay (Mdabuka 69’)
SuperSport: Williams, Kekana, Gould, Daniels, Egwuekwe (Phala 64’), Modiba, Mokoena, Furman, Letsholonyane (Mbule 78’), Mnyamane (Ngele 72’), Rusike.
