First Division side Nathi Lions put on a good performance, but it wasn’t enough, and Ajax go through – the last team remaining from the Western Cape in the competition.
Lions did their fans proud in the first half, had the better of possession and looked more creative with it.
The KwaZulu-Natal side almost took the lead in the sixth minute, when Siphamandla Zaca caught Ajax keeper Andre Petim off his line, but his shot ricocheted off the upright, and the ball went harmlessly back into to play to let Ajax off the hook.
Ajax had their best chance of the half ten minutes before the break, when Clayton Daniels rose up unmarked at the far post to meet a Cale cross, but he missed his header and the score remained 0-0 into the break.
Just after half time, in the 50th minute, Cale sent in a powerful swerving shot from just outside the area, giving Lions keeper Siyabonga Mpontshana no chance at all.
Lions almost levelled matters in the 75 minute, through Zaca again. After a quick, counter-attacking build-up, the Lions forward again caught Petim off his line, but his shot missed by centimetres.
Ajax essentially shut out the First Division side after Cale’s goal, and did what was necessary to take the game and go through to the quarterfinals.
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