Leopards pounce on Ajax Cape Town

PERENNIAL playoff contenders Black Leopards nervously held out for a 1-0 win over Ajax Cape Town at the FNB Stadium yesterday afternoon.

It is the fifth time in seven years that Leopards are playing in the season-ending PSL promotion/relegation play-offs.

The result ensures that Leopards start their campaign on a winning note. Ajax, on the other hand, suffered defeat after they made a winning start against TTM last Sunday.

Ajax took the initiative from kickoff, and they produced a third-minute corner. The set piece should have resulted in a goal, but defender Thendo Mukumela skied his scoring attempt.

Leopards seemed content to absorb the pressure and allow Ajax to make all the running. They wrested the initiative by using the width of the field, and Ajax had to settle for a defensive role midway through the half.

The ploy paid dividends when Tiklas Thutlwa was sent away down the right flank. Once he rounded the defence, he laid on a scoring pass to Zambian Mwape Musonda who shot wide of Dutch goalkeeper Nick Hengelman in the Ajax goals for a 24th-minute goal.

Ajax finished the half strongly as they searched of an equaliser. In the final seven minutes of the first half, Ajax forced three corners but Leopards’ defence weighed in with desperate defence to keep their lead intact.

In the 40th minute, Ajax midfielder Sonwabile Mfecane struck fresh air as he tried to connect with a low cross into the Leopards penalty box. Leopards ‘keeper King Ndlovu was out of position at the time.

Ndlovu, however, made two startling saves in quick succession as the Urban Warriors’ enterprising play proved hard to contain just ahead of the half-time whistle.

There was more of the same when second-half play resumed, but Ajax’s finishing continued to let them down. It was mainly one-way traffic with Leopards managing to reverse the flow of play on the odd occasion until the water break just before the hour mark.

With time running out, Leopards nervously repelled one attack after the other to avert danger.

Four minutes from the end, Ajax defender Kegan Johannes should have capitalised after he was left unmarked opposite the far post from a corner kick. His scoring attempt was fractionally wide.