Vociferous Kaizer Chiefs fans who came in their droves to the Mmabatho Stadium on Saturday hoping to witness their team’s passage to the quarterfinals of the Absa Cup went back home with their tails between their legs after Ajax Cape Town grabbed a 1-0 win in the lucrative competition.
The Urban Warriors, who became the second team to book a place in the quarterfinals, took the lead as early as the eighth minute via the golden boot of Wilfred Mugeyi.
Stunned AmaKhosi, who travelled about 300km hoping to sweep Ajax aside and follow in the steps of their rivals Orlando Pirates who beat Classic 3-1 during the week, had to settle for R75 000.
Interestingly, Chiefs and Ajax are top contenders for the Premier Soccer League title. The former occupies the top spot and the Capetonians are placed second.
Chiefs, who were caught napping to concede an early goal, tried to get back into the game — billed as the ”Final before the Final” — but lacked the actual fighting-back spirit.
They forced Ajax to concede corner after corner but still could not convert. Instead it was the visitors who almost increased their tally.
Mugeyi, Mulekelayi Kanku and Brent Carelse tormented the Chiefs defence, which was manned by Patrick Mabedi, Derrick Spencer and the disappointing Fabian McCarthy.
Spencer killed a threatening fire clearing a goal-bound attempt and in the process collided with Joseph Ngake in the 25th minute. He was replaced by David Kannemeyer three minutes later.
Serge Bageta Dikulu was undeservedly yellow-carded by referee Walter Mochubela in the 28th minute. Chiefs striker Patrick Mayo was the guilty party.
He realised that he had lost a ball and deliberately put his foot in the way of Dikulu.
The game was stopped temporarily after the collision of Mayo and Ajax goalkeeper Moeneed Josephs. The stoppage turned out to be a perfect moment for newly appointed Bafana Bafana head coach Stuart Baxter to make an entrance in the 44th minute.
Chiefs made their second change bringing on Stanton Fredericks for Collins Mbesuma in the second half and the latter brought a completely new dimension to AmaKhosi’s game.
Fredericks even came close to equalising but his tap of a John ”Shoes” Moshoeu cross was easily saved by Josephs in the 59th minute.
Ajax, who controlled the better part of the second half as they did throughout the first stranza, brought on Anele Zibi for Joseph Ngake in the 69th minute.
His first touch, a grass cutter, went begging from in front of the posts. Chiefs made their third substitution, introducing Jabulani Mendu for Mayo, in the 70th minute.
The Urban Warriors, who were the underdogs going into the game, suffered a blow when they were reduced to 10 men in the 81st minute. Dikulu earned himself a second yellow card after bringing down Junior Khanye and that was an automatic red card.
But still the Glamour Boys from Phefeni, who boasted the numerical superiority, could not take advantage. Carelse left McCarthy wanting a few metres outside the Chiefs dangerous area.
McCarthy had no choice but to pull the advancing striker down and Monathoko booked him in the 83rd minute.
Cyrille Mubiala was also cautioned for hacking Moshoeu in the 85th minute. Chiefs attacked in much greater numbers in search for the equaliser towards the dying moments but it was rather too late. — Sapa