A storm looming for Ajax
Winless Capetonians face two tough matches that could lead to De Sa-ster
THE THUNDER storm that caused a brief interruption to Ajax Cape Town’s Telkom Knockout opening round tie in Atteridgeville on Saturday night is an apt metaphor for the team’s perilous situation.
The Cape side crashed out of the Cup competition, losing 1-0 to SuperSport United in extra-time. After five leagues games, and one Cup tie, Ajax are yet to win a match this season. And, like the storm clouds that gathered in Pretoria on Saturday, and the inclement weather conditions which eventually forced the players off as strong winds blew the advertising boards onto the field and the rain pelted down by the bucket-load, so, too, an ominous tempest appears to be heading the Cape club’s way.
It doesn’t get any easier for Ajax this week. On Wednesday, they host Wits in an Absa Premiership fixture and follow that up by welcoming SuperSport again, this time in the league, on Saturday. Both matches are at Cape Town Stadium.
In the weekend’s Cup tie, there wasn’t all that much between Ajax and SuperSport for 90 minutes. Both teams gave as good as they got, and it always looked like the winner would come either from something special or something silly. It proved to be the latter as a hopeful shot from SuperSport winger Thuso Phala 90 seconds into the first period of extra-time was deflected into the net by Ajax defender Eric Chipeta for a rather spectacular own goal.
Shortly after the goal, though, the heavens opened – the players were off for about 20 minutes before resuming play. Most disappointing then was the manner in which Ajax capitulated as they hardly troubled SuperSport during the rest of the extra-time period.
The Cape side’s coach, Roger de Sa, is looking increasingly dejected in his postmatch interviews as his team continues to disappoint.
“We didn’t create all that much,” said the Ajax coach. “There wasn’t much in it. Both teams were pretty evenly-matched, but that’s the way it goes. We tried hard, but the conditions didn’t allow for much. Again, it was one silly error that led to the goal. The game was probably pretty even throughout, but I thought we lacked a bit of creativity. Now we just have to recover and hopefully get it back (against Wits) on Wednesday.”
Adding extra spice and more intrigue and needle to the PSL clash between Ajax and Wits is the fact that the Clever Boys also bowed out of the Cup competition, losing 3-1 to Free State Stars. Wits have been the form team, having beaten Mamelodi Sundowns in the recent MTN8 final, but they were shown no respect by a determined Stars side.
It’s no secret Wits coach Gavin Hunt hates losing – and he was as forthright with his words as ever. He certainly didn’t hide his unhappiness.
“I’m disappointed with the result and the performance,” Hunt said after the defeat to the Free Staters. “We weren’t at our best … We’ve got to give them (Stars) credit – they pressed and kicked us around, which is what it’s all about, and you have to stand up to it. We didn’t match them physically and we didn’t play football.”
Based on Hunt’s assessment, you would think the Wits coach had just revealed the key to victory for Ajax. Unfortunately, though, the Cape side’s game is not based on aggression and physicality ...
But there’s no doubt the Wits game takes on increasing importance for Ajax. They need a victory to calm the jitters at the club, and to release the pressure that has slowly been building over the last few months.
As things stand, Wits have seven points after three games, with Ajax on two points after five games. In real terms, Ajax are stone-last on the PSL log – the only club below them are Sundowns, who have only played one league game.