SuperSport too good for Highlands
at Athlone Stadium KAIZER Chiefs’ winning run ended yesterday evening as they missed out on a chance to go top of the Absa Premiership after being forced to come back in a 1-1 draw with hosts Ajax Cape Town.
A high-tempo match, riddled with missed chances and a heavy turnover of possession, opened up in the second half as striker Nathan Paulse scored to give the Urban Warriors the lead. But the hosts then sat back and allowed Amakhosi a chance to come back, with the pressure eventually allowing Daniel Cardoso an equaliser 11 minutes from time.
Had Chiefs won, they would have been ahead on the log standings but a point means they stay in third place, level on points with Bidvest Wits but behind on goal difference.
Chiefs, who won their five previous matches, gave a first start to their new Venezuelan marksman Gustavo Paez, whose clever short pass set up Siphiwe Tshabalala with an excellent chance to open the scoring in the 12th minute, but his strike across the face of Jody February’s goal struck the upright and bounced back into play.
In the 20th minute, Ajax could have also broken the deadlock after Musa HAPPY MAN: United coach Stuart Baxter Lebusa stole the ball away down the left-hand side and Bantu Mzwakali carried it forward before pulling it back into the path of exciting Mark at Makhulong Stadium AFTER the referee blew the final whistle, SuperSport United head coach Stuart Baxter punched the air and continued to hug his assistants and substitute players with full knowledge that Matsatsantsa a Pitori were sitting at the top of the Absa Premiership.
Dean Furman’s goal in the 21st minute of the first half helped United leapfrog title contenders Bidvest Wits, Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns, who were all above them when they kicked off against poor Highlands Park in Tembisa on the East Rand last night.
Highlands head coach Gordon Igesund looked a very disappointed man after dropping points, yet again, Mayambela, who hit it goalward only to see Cardoso get in the way and deflect the effort for a corner.
Mayambela had been a surprise leaving his team second from the bottom.
Highlands were the first side to threaten goalkeeper Reyaad Pieterse but he denied the hosts in the 18th minute when the former Chiefs man moved out of his line to thwart an attempt by Peter Shalulile.
Minutes later, Highlands wasted a perfect chance when Shalulile turned provider to striker Carlton Mashumba, who made a mess of a clear-cut goal opportunity.
Highlands were punished when the hard-running Furman slotted the ball past goalkeeper Tapuwa Kapini after the former dispossessed defender Kgomotso Koena to register his first goal of the season.
By then, frustration began to creep into the Highlands camp as veteran shot-stopper Kapini started an unfriendly exchange of words with Igesund, who shouted at him for wasting time before taking his goal kicks. — choice as a starter. He gave away possession in the early exchanges as well as a free kick on the edge of their small box that George Maluleka hit on the roof of the Ajax goal. But the 29-year-old left-winger also showed some of his silky touches at times.
Maluleka, playing against his former team, sliced a shot wide after a good set-up by Paez, who also held the ball up well but was easily disposed when facing goal as Lawrence Lartey, in for injured central defender Rivaldo Coetzee, kept him comfortably in check.
In the second half, Thabo Mosadi had two early chances for the Urban Warriors. The first caught him by surprise as he failed to take advantage of a poor clearance by lanky defender Mulomowandau Mathoho.
Then Mosadi had another chance when Cardoso made a big error and Paulse set him up but goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune denied him with a great save.
Veteran marksman Paulse then opened the scoring with a trademark back-post header as Mosadi floated over a perfect cross at the end of a smart sequence of passes. It was the fifth goal of the season for the 34year-old and it set up a spell of great opportunities for the home side.
Mzwakali hit the crossbar with a header from a Mosadi corner just after the hour mark. But Amakhosi then wrestled back possession and turned up the heat, leaving Ajax to desperately defend.
The hosts could not hold out and were eventually caught by Cardoso’s glancing header from a punted free kick into the area. The 79th-minute equaliser was as much good enterprise from Chiefs as it was poor goalkeeping by February.