You pencilled it in three months ago, and now it’s here ... Ajax vs Cape Town City
THE ARRIVAL of Cape Town City has breathed new life into football in the Mother City, with the result that the Cape derby is once again a fixture to salivate over. On the announcement of the PSL calendar about three months ago, September 30 was already quickly pencilled in by Cape Town’s football followers: Ajax Cape Town v Cape Town City – a game not to be missed.
Well, that date is on the horizon. The two bitter Cape rivals meet in a PSL fixture at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday afternoon (kick-off 3pm) – and, as the two teams go through their paces this week, the anticipation will gradually build up to fever pitch. A really good crowd is expected to come out and support, nostalgically bringing back good memories
of derby days of yore.
Rewind through the years, and the Cape derby was always a big thing – an occasion to treasure and the entertaining, hard-fought football action typical of teams battling it out for the supremacy of the city. Cape Town Spurs, Glenville, Glendene, Santos, Battswood, Hellenic and the old Cape Town City (during the era of segregated football) produced derbies that still reverberate around the minds of many.
In recent times, the Cape derby has lost its lustre – but,
after football boss John Comitis left Ajax and established his own club, City, the rivalry is back. In the past, Cape clubs were made up mostly of Cape players, who understood the history of the local derby and, as such, they played as if their lives depended on winning. Football has, of course, moved on since those days. Professionals seek clubs which desire their services, but, often, this distracted from the Cape derby, because non-Cape players failed to fully grasp the seriousness of it all.
Not anymore, though: this new animosity between Ajax and City has created a Cape derby of interest again, and every player, irrespective of birth-place, is now up for the challenge of the occasion.
But also, and especially with Benni McCarthy in charge of City, that good, old-fashioned spirit of grit and aggression so endemic to Cape footballers is coming to the fore again. The former Bafana striker will certainly know what the Cape derby is about, having played for Seven Stars and Spurs. He will also have accompanied his big brother – former Santos winger Jerome McCarthy – to derbies when he was just a kid.
And, come Saturday, the players will come from all parts of the Mother City to give their all: because being the best football club in the Cape means something again. It’s no longer just another fixture.
For Ajax, there’s goalkeeper Brandon Petersen, from Elsies River, Bonteheuwel’s Mario Booysen and Grant Margeman, Roscoe Pietersen, who grew up on the streets of Crawford and Athlone, Erwin Isaacs from Lavender Hill, Gugulethu’s Bantu Mzwakali, Mitchell’s Plain’s Tashreeq Morris and Junaid Sait from Matroosfontein (who certainly understands all the fuss of the Cape derby through his dad, Kamaal, a former Santos and Spurs player).
For City, there’s Grassy Park goalkeeper Shu-aib Walters, Strandfontein’s Robyn Johannes, Ebrahim Seedat from Athlone, Salt River’s Taariq Fielies, Khayelitsha’s Ayanda Patosi, Lyle Lakay from Silvertown and Factreton’s Craig Martin. In fact, if there are two emerging Cape players McCarthy is really excited about, it’s Martin and Fielies. Fielies, an Ajax academy graduate, came to City from Milano United in the First Division. Many would have thought he would be a squad player, especially with the elegant Tshepo Gumede alongside captain Johannes in central defence. But McCarthy has quickly taken to Fielies’ Cape graft and belligerence.As for the ebullient Martin, now here’s a footballer to keep an eye on.
“I’m chuffed with Martin,” said McCarthy. “He’s a natural. He came on for his debut, he wasn’t fazed, and he even had his own supporters’ army in the crowd. I can tell you, the first team guys better watch out, this player is here to stay. He has a bright future and a lot of good things are still coming.”