Cape Town’s cup specialists have a good record against the top sides
Ntuthuko Maphumulo
Ajax Cape Town play the “diamond system” favoured by their mother side, Ajax Amsterdam, and are trying to bring the Dutch brand of total football to their home at Newlands stadium.
But the side often confound their supporters. They produce sparkling displays against the three top teams in the country (Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs and Sundowns) but when it comes to other premier soccer league (PSL) teams they do not shine.
Pirates and Chiefs have felt the wrath of the “Urban Warriors” when they are on form. Pirates were thrashed 4-1 in the Rothmans Cup final last season but avenged this defeat at the end of the season by beating Ajax 3-0.
This season the Capetonians have continued their giant-killing form, knocking the Buccaneers out of the Coca-Cola Cup with a 2-0 victory in the round of 16.
The following week they met Kaizer Chiefs in a PSL game and broke the Amakhosi’s unbeaten league run with a 2-1 victory.
But when they take on the smaller teams the hunger to win just fades away. They have lost to Supersport United, Golden Arrows and Ria Stars, drawn with Wits and Bush Bucks, yet beaten Chiefs, Pirates, Cosmos and Amazulu.
Sundowns, Ajax’s opponents in a league match this weekend, are the only team among the big three not to have faced Ajax in a cup competition. The Brazilians’ record against Ajax in league matches since the formation of Ajax from the merger of Cape Town Spurs and Seven Stars in 1999 has been three wins and one loss.
Ajax have not lost their killer instincts in front of goal despite losing predatory strikers Shaun Permall to Chiefs and Carlo Scott, who was their top goal scorer in 1999/2000.
After his move to Sundowns, Scott seemed to lose form, but he scored his first goal for the Gauteng side in a midweek Coke Cup win over Free State Stars.
Rowan Hendricks, who scored the fastest goal so far in the Coca-Cola Cup against Pirates, and Duncan Lechesa seem to be on a roll this season, not forgetting Shaun Potgieter with his defence-splitting passes and Dillon Sheppard.
Ajax’s Rothmans Cup win gave them a ticket to compete in the Caf Cup, but they lost in the quarterfinals to Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia.
The Cape team have already booked themselves a spot in the quarterfinals of the Coke Cup after beating Pirates for the second time in the season at Newlands stadium during a double header.
Sundowns, who were jubilant after qualifying for the semifinals in the African Champions League at the weekend, also made it to the semi- finals of the Coke competition with the victory over Free State Stars.
Kaizer Chiefs and Jomo Cosmos have already qualified.
Ajax are waiting to find out who their quarterfinal opponents will be, Santos or Golden Arrows. Those two teams are due to play on Saturday after their scheduled match did not take place and the matter went to a disciplinary hearing.