The 32-year-old had previously played four times in the tournament, featuring in two Finals – with Ajax in 2009 and SuperSport United in 2012 – yet ended on the losing side on both occasions, yet was elated in finally adding the only domestic trophy missing from his shelf to his collection.
“I played in this Cup four times and never won it, so I wanted to win this one so badly to add this trophy to my collection,” he tells snl24.com/kickoff. “Though I’m not happy because I won it – I’m happy because Ajax won it with such a young squad. We deserve it – these young boys fought and worked very hard to win this trophy.”
The Ajax winger then heaped praise on Man-of-the Match and fellow veteran Nathan Paulse, who slotted the winning penalty to hand Ajax their first trophy in seven years.
“I’ve known Nathan now for 13 years, since I’ve been in the PSL,” he says. “I’ve always known Nathan has the ability to score goals, and he was outstanding on the day.”
Despite the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium predominantly donned in gold and black, Cale reserved a special mention for the Ajax supporters who made the trip from the Mother City to support their side.
“We as Ajax really want to thank the fans and the whole of Cape Town, and especially all our supporters who were at the stadium: we really appreciate all their dedication to the club,” he says.
Ajax now turn their attention to League matters, where they prepare to take on Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs in their two fixtures this week.
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