Ajax surrender lead in Athlone
Ajax Cape Town took the lead, but then conceded to drop two log points at home in a 1-1 Premiership draw against Chippa United.
|||Cape Town - Ajax Cape Town took the lead, but then conceded to drop two log points at home in a 1-1 Premiership draw against Chippa United at the Athlone Stadium on Tuesday night.
Red-hot striker Prince Nxumalo gave the Urban Warriors the lead in the 28 th minute of the first half, to take the Ajax target man’s tally for the league season to 11, just one behind leading marksman Collins Mbesuma of Mpumalanga Black Aces on 12.
Roger de Sa’s Ajax team managed to hold on their solitary goal lead by halftime, but around the hour mark, the visitors from Port Elizabeth hit back.
Rhulani Manzini equalised in the 59th minute, and that meant Ajax needed to go back on to the attack for the winner.
But it never happened for the men from Parow, with De Sa surprisingly deciding not to utilise crafty left winger Franklin Cale or midfielder Toriq Losper off the bench.
The result sees Ajax actually move up one place on the Premiership log to 10th on 27 points, equal with SuperSport United but with a better goal difference. Chippa stay in an impressive sixth spot on 32 points.
SuperSport didn’t make any progress on Tuesday as they went down 2-0 to league leaders Mamelodi Sundowns in a Tshwane derby at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville.
Asavela Mbekile put “Abafana ba Style” ahead in the 39th minute, and star Zimbabwean Khama Billiat secured the victory with a 75th-minute strike, which was his 10th goal in the league this season.
Sundowns increased their lead at the top of the standings to 10 points, as they are on 52 after 22 matches, with Wits in second on 42 in 21.
ashfak.mohamed@inl.co.za
@IndyCapeSport