A 10-man Ajax Cape Town showed tremendous fighting spirit when they held on to defeat Jomo Cosmos 1-0 in a Castle Premiership match that was marred by wet and cold conditions played at Tembisa’s Makhulong stadium on Wednesday.
Ajax led 1-0 at half-time.
Cosmos had a territorial advantage in a first half in which the players battled to control the ball on the slippery pitch. But it was a stunning volley from Ajax’s Zimbabwean international striker Wilfred Mugeyi that earned the title-chasing Ajax their three points in the 28th minute.
Mugeyi brilliantly slotted home teammate Mulekilayi Kanku’s inch-perfect cross to net the only goal of a disappointing match.
Cosmos striker mark Haskins missed a sitter five minutes earlier when with the goal at his mercy he blasted the ball straight at goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs.
Ajax were reduced to 10 men when their veteran right wing Josep Ngake was sent off in the 48th minute from a foul on Lucky Mhlathe.
But despite having Ajax under a lot of pressure Cosmos failed to take advantage of their numerical superiority.
Josephs turned in a faultless five-star display when he saved twice from Haskins in the 56th and 70th minutes and then pulled off another great save from Russel Mwafulwira in the 59th minute.
Ajax survived and started taking the match to Cosmos late in the game. The three points keep Ajax in a strong position in second place. — Sapa