Gordon Igesund’s Sundowns have now lost all three games this year against Ajax when they went down by two goals to one in a Premier Soccer League match in Cape Town on Saturday.
The Ajax goals were scored either side of half-time. Sundowns players showed their frustration as they were inclined to go in with heavy tackles on the smaller home-side players.
Ajax attacked from the start, and in the second minute Calvin Marlin brought about a good save from Tembi Santini.
Santini had an easy chance to open the score in the 18th minute when a cross came over from the right. He was on the left and with only Marlin in front of him, he side-footed the ball past the near upright.
The visitors came close in the 20th minute when Surprise Moriri shot from the 20m mark, but his shot was brilliantly saved by Hans Vonk, who was in fine form — five minutes later he saved a point-blank header from Godfrey Sepula.
The home side opened the scoring in the 31st minute when Nathan Paulse’s hard shot was parried by Marlin and Bryce Moon, following up, tapped the ball into the net.
In the 57th minute, Santini outstripped the defence and side-footed a cross to Clifford Nogobeni, who tapped home to double the home side’s score. — Sapa