Ajax Strike Late At Maritzburg

19 February 2012

ABSA Premiership

Teams: Maritzburg v Ajax

Venue: Harry Gwala Stadium

Date: 19 February 2012

Referee: Lwandile Mfiki

Ajax Cape Town went home with three valuable away points after beating Maritzburg United 2-0 in a very entertaining ABSA Premier League game played at Harry Gwala Stadium.

Both goalkeepers were kept very busy on the day but it took 78 minutes for the deadlock to be broken.  Ten minutes later Ajax once again found the back of the net for a well-deserved 2-0 win.

The first bit of action took place about 11 minutes in when a corner taken by Ajax’s Clint Julius was saved by goalkeeper Shu-Aib Walters.

Shortly after, Nhlanhla Vilakazi looked to test Walters with a shot from long range but it went wide of goal.

Walters was then forced to make saves in quick succession after a shot from Khama Billiat tested him and then a corner from George Maluleka saw the lanky keeper have to make another save.

Prince Olomu found himself fouled by Cole Alexander and Kurt Lentjies brought Sander Westerveld into play from the resulting free kick, but the former Dutch keeper was never put in real danger.

Brent Carelse was the next Urban Warriors player to take a shot at Walters goal but the shot was once again saved.

Brett Evans then had an effort at goal from the edge of the area that missed to the right of the target while on the other side of the field Diyo Sibisi brought a save out of Westerveld.

George Maluleka produced a right-footed shot from just outside the box that went wide before an effort on goal by Kurt Lentjies from 25 yards was saved by Westerveld.

Sibisi had another chance to open the scoring but his shot from deep inside the penalty area went wide of goal while Maluleka again had his effort saved after a centre by Clint Julius.

Michael Morton and Jabulani Ncubeni had shots that were saved by Westerveld before the break while Vilakazi’s shot went over the bar and Evans’ free kick was saved by Walters.

The second half started with Billiat sending his close range header over the bar before Maluleka had an effort from the edge of the area that he couldn’t put on target.

Billiat was soon back in the thick of things when he produced a right-footed shot from just outside the box that missed to the right of the net.

Peter Petersen was the first player to go into the referee’s book after he received a caution for a foul on Ajax’s Billiat. Nhlanhla Vilakazi then brought a save out of Walters before a free kick from Lentjies was comfortably dealt with by Westerveld.

Soon after another substitute George Akpabio opened the scoring for the Urban Warriors with a goal from close range finished into the top left corner of the goal.

Billiat then produced a right-footed shot from the edge of the box that went wide but with two minutes of regulation time remaining, he received a ball from Akpabio and made no mistake from the edge of the area by finishing in the bottom left corner.

Maritzburg: Shu-Aib Walters, Mor Diouf, Byron Hendricks, Peter Petersen, Michael Morton (Wayne Matle), Rheece Evans, Kurt Lentjies, Prince Olomu (Morne Davids 63), Jabulani Ncubeni (Cuthbert Malajila 63), Kulegani Madondo, Diyo Sibisi.

Ajax CT: Sander Westerveld, Cecil Lolo, Nazeer Alli, Matthew Booth, Aidan Jenniker, Nhlanhla Vilakazi, Clint Julius (George Akpabio 66), Brent Carelse (Alcardo van Graan 74), Khama Billiat (Thulani Hlatshwayo 91), Cole Alexander, George Maluleka.

Goals: George Akpabio (Ajax 78), Khama Billiat (Ajax 88)