Mamelodi Sundowns had their minds on Saturday’s Nedbank Cup final and paid the price when Free State Stars thumped the defending Premier Soccer League champions 4-0 in the final league fixture of the season. Meanwhile, Santos ended in third position on the league table after beating Platinum Stars 1-0, and Orlando Pirates beat AmaZulu 4-1.
They are still in the Absa Premiership title race by the skin of their teeth, but the 1-1 draw with Santos in a dour, uncompromising Cape derby at Athlone Stadium on Thursday night was not the result Ajax Cape Town were seeking. Now three points behind log leaders SuperSport United going into the final round of fixtures on Sunday, Ajax’s hopes are hanging by a thread.
It was described by their officials as a point ”worth its weight in gold” after relegation-embattled Thanda Royal Zulu had drawn 1-1 with Santos in Hammarsdale on Sunday afternoon. And when it comes to splashing out nuggets of gold, the team whose ownership is embedded in Swedish connections is not averse to buying success.
It was all action, but little satisfaction for Kaizer Chiefs and Santos in a helter-skelter 1-1 Premiership draw at the Absa Stadium in Durban on Saturday night that left both teams’ objectives unfulfilled. Chiefs are no better off from sharing the spoils than they were before the game.
Santos’ 10-week sequence without a defeat under Botswana Army coach Major David Bright was dimmed at Goble Park in Bethlehem on Sunday afternoon as Free State Stars earned a deserved 1-0 victory to qualify for the Nedbank Cup semifinals. Hero on this occasion was Jimmy Kauleza, who scored the solitary goal of the game in the 22nd minute.
Jomo Cosmos denied Santos maximum points as they held them to a 1-1 draw at the Athlone Stadium on Friday night. Cosmos looked bright early on, in particular down their right wing, where Bongi Macala and Siza Dlamini had a couple of chances. Then another move down the right saw Bamuza Sono release Macala with a long ball.
Santos’ fine form continued on Friday night when they thrashed Black Leopards 4-0 at the Athlone Stadium. The Limpopo side started the game on a positive note, but while they looked good in the build ups to attacks, they failed to trouble Santos keeper Wayne Roberts with any noteworthy efforts.
In February this year Santos beat Moroka Swallows 4-1 in an Absa Premiership league game, and on Friday night the Cape side transformed their fine league form in to an emphatic 3-1 Nedbank Cup tournament win against the same opponents at the Germiston Stadium on Friday night.
Santos had goalkeeper Wayne Roberts to thank as they advanced through to the last 16 of the Nedbank Cup after beating Orlando Pirates 5-4 on penalties at the Athlone Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Roberts made saves three times in the shoot-out after the match had ended 2-2 after full-time.
Santos recorded their fifth consecutive Premier Soccer League win when they beat Golden Arrows 3-1 at the Athlone Stadium on Saturday night. An uneventful first half gave way to an action-packed second half that saw all four goal scored. In the first half very little scoring opportunities were created.
Santos continued their fine form of late when they secured a 2-1 win over Wits at the Athlone Stadium on Tuesday night. Wits started the game brightly and had early chances through Noah Chivuta, but his long-range shots did not have the beating of Wayne Roberts.
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/ 24 February 2008
Bloemfontein Celtic beat Amazulu 3-2 in a Premier Soccer League (PSL) match at a packed Seisa Ramabodu Stadium in Bloemfontein on Sunday. In other matches, Mamelodi Sundowns handed victory to Wits University, Orlando Pirates were beaten by Santos, and Ajax beat Cosmos.
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/ 21 October 2007
Bidvest Wits were held to a 1-1 draw by Santos in an Absa Premier League played at the Bidvest Stadium on Saturday. Former Santos midfielder Marawaan Bantam netted in the third minute with a close-range header and Erwin Isaacs scored with a low shot which surprised the Wits captain and goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs.
A goal of sheer magic and another of clinical precision from Katlego Mphela gave SuperSport United a 2-1 Telkom Knockout win against Santos at a desolate, mainly deserted Athlone Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Apart from the decisive influence of the goal-hungry SuperSport striker, the teams were evenly matched throughout.