/ 16 April 2008

Ajax, Stars share the spoils

A fourth-minute strike by Jimmy Kauleza seemed to have paved the way for a Free State Stars victory, but a 69th-minute piledriver by Nhlanhla Shabalala got a much-needed point for league championship contenders Ajax Cape Town in an entertaining Absa Premiership match at the Welkom Rugby Stadium on Wednesday.

A fourth-minute strike by Jimmy Kauleza seemed to have paved the way for a Free State Stars victory, but a 69th-minute piledriver by Nhlanhla Shabalala got a much-needed point for league championship contenders Ajax Cape Town in an entertaining Absa Premiership match at the Welkom Rugby Stadium on Wednesday.

Kauleza sneaked in between two players to give Stars an early lead. It was a harmless pass into goalkeeper Hans Vonk’s area but the veteran keeper, instead of snatching the ball in the air, remained motionless and watched as the former Orlando Pirates striker stabbed the ball home.

Just after the hour, though, Shabalala levelled the scores with a fine strike. The dreadlocked midfielder struck the ball low and hard and it bounced off the inside of the goalposts without touching the net. — Sapa