CT City win, Ajax draw, Chiefs go down

Cape Town City made a winning start to their maiden Premiership campaign, while Ajax Cape Town managed to draw away from home on Tuesday.

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A winning start for Cape Town City FC, a creditable away draw for Ajax Cape Town and a 2-0 beating for Kaizer Chiefs were the highlights of the opening night of the new Premiership season on Tuesday.

City began their maiden voyage in the Premiership in fine style at the Cape Town Stadium as Eric Tinkler’s team dispatched Polokwane City 2-0.

Bhongolwethu Jayiya scored Cape Town City’s first ever Premiership goal in the second minute of first-half stoppage time when his left-footed shot went into the top corner, and victory was secured by Aubrey Ngoma in the 68th minute to ensure a dream start for John Comitis’ new team in the top-flight.

And their Cape rivals Ajax nearly followed suit by taking the lead through a Nathan Paulse penalty in the 10th minute against PSL newcomers Baroka FC in Polokwane.

Ajax were missing their top marksman from last season, Prince Nxumalo, through suspension, but their stalwart target man Paulse didn’t disappoint.

The tall striker was a menace for the Baroka defence all night, and was pushed in the back by Baroka left back Mzwanele Mahashe. It was a clumsy challenge as Paulse was on the edge of the box with his back turned towards goal, but Paulse stepped up to stroke the ball confidently past goalkeeper Oscarine Masuluke.

The home team pushed forward after that and had a few openings, but Ajax didn’t sit back on their lead, with right wing Thabo Mosadi and midfielder Bantu Mzwakali the major threats for Ajax.

But the likes of Collins Makgaka, Richard Matloga and Mfundhisi Chauke had a number of opportunities to get the equaliser, and couldn’t get the ball past Ajax goalkeeper Brandon Petersen, who made several fine saves, while the defence was well marshalled by Bafana Bafana central defender Rivaldo Coetzee.

The dam wall eventually broke, though, in the 52nd minute when a cross from the left by Sipho Moeti was totally misjudged by the Ajax defence, and Matloga dived in at the far post to beat Petersen low to his left.

Ajax had two fantastic openings in the 56th and 64th minutes, but couldn’t find the back of the net. Midfielder Roscoe Pietersen found Erick Chipeta with a wonderful cross to the far post, but the unmarked Zimbabwean blasted his effort wide.

Mosadi also showed great speed later to get to the byline, but shot at goal instead of squaring the ball and the chance was lost.

Baroka piled on the pressure in the last 15 minutes, but Ajax did well to keep them at bay and return to Cape Town with a point.

At Milpark in Johannesburg, Gavin Hunt’s Wits proved that they will again be genuine contenders for the Premiership title by beating Chiefs 2-1.

Elias Pelembe lost his marker in the 34th minute to deliver a powerful header past Itumeleng Khune, and half-an-hour later, Thulani Hlatshwayo made it 2-0 with a similar effort that left Khune stranded.

Lorenzo Gordinho pulled one back for the Amakhosi in the 82nd minute, but it was too late for Chiefs to get a share of the spoils.

Meanwhile in Port Elizabeth, Rhulani Manzini’s brace gave Chippa United a 2-1 victory over Free State Stars at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

Manzini scored in the third and 32nd minutes, while Stars’ equaliser came from Charles Kampi in the 13th minute.

ashfak.mohamed@inl.co.za

@ashfakmohamed