Ajax Cape Town crash to Bidvest Wits
Posted: 2 March 2011 Time: 17:57
Ajax Cape Town’s hopes of winning a first Absa Premiership title were dealt a blow on Wednesday afternoon as they were beaten 2-0 by Bidvest Wits in Johannesburg.
The Urban Warriors had the chance to move to the top of the log (temporarily at least) if they had avoided defeat against the Clever Boys, but goals from Sifiso Vilakazi and Sifiso Myeni handed the home team, who ended the game with ten men, a deserved victory.
The teams exchanged early chances, with Ajax forward Thulani Serero testing Darren Keet with a seventh minute shot before Wits’ Stanton Fredericks sent a drive inches over the crossbar from just inside the penalty area.
On 27 minutes Keet was called into action again, this time keeping out a shot from Granwald Scott after the midfielder had latched onto a poor clearance from Patrick Phungwayo. Khama Billiat threatened a goal just before the 40 minute mark with a shot that just cleared the crossbar, as Ajax continued to look the likelier scorers.
However, it was Wits who took the lead in the 41st minute, with Sifiso Vilakazi scoring a scorcher of a long range goal. His 30-yard shot found the top right corner of the net and beat veteran goalkeeper Hans Vonk all ends up.
The Urban Warriors were unlucky not to level the score in injury time at the end of the first half, with Serero hitting the post with a shot from the edge of the Wits penalty area.
Ajax coach Foppe de Haan opted to change personnel at the start of the second half, withdrawing Seydouba Soumah and Tafadzwa Rusike to be replaced by Nazeer Allie and Thembinkosi Fanteni respectively.
Four minutes into the second half, the Clever Boys were reduced to ten men when Derrick Spencer was shown a straight red card for a challenge on Lebogang Manyama.
It was the second successive game in which the Johannesburg team had a man dismissed, as Thando Mngomeni suffered the same fate in their 3-0 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns on the weekend.
With the numerical advantage, the Cape side took control of the game and began the search for an equalising goal.
Just past the hour mark, ‘Terror’ Fanteni became the second Ajax man to hit the woodwork when he rattled Keet’s crossbar with a snap effort from within the penalty area. Within the next ten minutes Keet was twice called upon to make fine saves to deny Khama Billiat and Serero as Ajax began to turn the screw on Roger de Sa’s youthful side.
However, against the run of play, the ten-man home team doubled their advantage in the 76th minute, as Sifiso Myeni latched onto a good pass from substitute Ryan Chapman and scored with a low shot.
HOME: Bidvest Wits
- 1 Darren Keet
- 2 Tefu Mashamaite
- 3 Patrick Phungwayo
- 5 Kampamba Chintu
- 14 Sipho Mngomezulu
- 20 Derrick Spencer
- 13 Bongolethu Jayiya
53 mins - Enrico Adolph - 23 Sifiso Myeni
- 28 Stanton Fredericks
- 22 Sifiso Vilakazi
67 mins - Ryan Chapman - 23 Sibusiso Vilakazi
AWAY: Ajax Cape Town
- 1 Hans Vonk
- 4 Clayton Daniels
- 25 Brett Evans
- 28 Derek Decamps
- 12 Granwald Scott
- 17 Thulani Serero
- 18 Paul Rusike
45 mins - Thembinkosi Fanteni - 18 Seydouba Soumah
45 mins - Nazeer Allie - 31 Willard Katsande
71 mins - George Maluleka - 11 Khama Billiat
- 21 Lebogang Manyama
Previous comments on this story...
Hini madoda ithemba lechiefs. Call us names bt we are marching to heaven. Catch us if can but please DNT use Zimbos to catch us. They wont match us for pace!! we are untouchable.
Auuuwwwwuuuu Bhakajuju!!!
Others are watching in in envy.monate wa bolo. Happy people.
goal scores: Besterand Lenties
I would pay anytime to go and watch top-class football like yesterday! These two teams are undoubtedly playing the best soccer in the league!
Well done boys you all showed nerves of steel when you were down to 10 men and i must commend Keet! he is improving by the day and definitely deserve a place in Bafana!!!
Bringing on Chapman was clever as he really ran hard at the defenders and unsettled them.
Keep it up and you may surprise many come end of season!