Chiefs still on top after Ajax victory
KAIZER Chiefs beat hapless Ajax Cape Town 3-0 last night to go into the Soweto derby on Saturday still top of the Absa Premiership.
Bernard Parker returned to scoring after a dry spell of six matches without a goal by netting the opener for the Amakhosi at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in the 36th minute.
Although it took a bit of a deflection from Ajax defender Matthew Booth, it was a well-taken strike, with Parker aware that goalkeeper Sander Westerveld was off his line.
Siboniso Gaxa scored the second goal for Chiefs – his first of the season.
Chiefs completed an emphatic victory when Siphiwe Tshabalala struck a third for the Glamour Boys. Again Westerveld, a former Liverpool goalkeeper, was off his line and Tshabalala punished the poor goalkeeping.
Chiefs have stretched their lead at the top to four points, at least until their rivals and opponents on Saturday, Orlando Pirates, play Chippa United tonight.
The Buccaneers can reduce the lead to just a point if they beat the Premier League rookies.
Ajax are now 13th on the log and the management will be panicking and putting interim coach Jan Pruijn under pressure, especially with Jan Versleijen, currently assuming the technical director role, indicating he was ready to take charge of the Cape side.
ý SuperSport United and Bloemfontein Celtic drew 1-1 in their Premiership clash at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville.
Ashley Hartog scored his first league goal of the season, before Celtic skipper Thabo September put the ball into his own goal, to hand SuperSport United their 11th draw of the season.
Celtic, fresh from their 1-0 Telkom Knockout final victory over Mamelodi Sundowns at the weekend, recorded their second draw of the season, after making a solid start to their league campaign.
Matsatsantsa, meanwhile, headed into the encounter on the back of a 2-2 draw with Golden Arrows in their last league tie.
The visitors had the first chance of the match eight minutes into the game. A dangerous ball into the United area was met with the head by Lerato Manzini but took a touch off Bevan Fransman, which failed to trouble goalkeeper Ronwen Williams.
SuperSport dominated the remainder of the half but could not find the decisive pass in the final third, with Clifford Mulenga coming close in the 28th minute, but blazed his effort wide of the goal.
The hosts finally broke the deadlock and were rewarded in the 65th minute, when Hartog found the net with a delicate headed effort from a Doutie corner.