Ajax back into top eight

Ajax Cape Town proved too strong for Polokwane City as they claimed a 2-0 victory at Athlone Stadium on Friday evening to move into the top eight on the Absa Premiership log.

The deadlock was broken by Keagan Dolly after six minutes, while Nathan Paulse put the result beyond reach with his fourth goal of the season.

This was Roger De Sa’s first official game in charge of the Urban Warriors and he was immediately implementing changes with his starting line-up.

Skipper Dominic Isaacs was suspended for the match, while Rivaldo Coetzee was making debut for the team after coming through the youth academy.

Ajax were the first to offer an effort at goal and it came in the shape of their Mozambican import Telinho, who fired just wide of goal.

The Urban Warriors only had to wait until the fifth minute to break the deadlock. Keagan Dolly and Nathan Paulse were involved in an inspiring give-and-go and it allowed for the midfielder to fire in a low ball past Modiri Marumo in goal.

Telinho then had a chance to double the lead almost immediately but, again, he directed his effort wide of goal.

It was all Ajax in the opening quarter of an hour and their next shot at goal was a pile-driver from Abbubaker Mobara which nearly broke the advertising boards.

Galabgwe Moyana tested Anssi Jaakkola with his curling free-kick on the half hour mark, as Boebie Solomons’ side continued to press Ajax in search of an equalising goal.

It was soon 2-0 to Ajax ten minutes after the restart thanks to a great solo run by Paulse. Dolly won the ball back inside his own half and he slotted it through to the striker who ran up field, cut inside the box and struck a low drive to beat Marumo at the near post.

Siphesihle Nzimande and Thabo Rakhale were both thrown onto the field in hope of finding some way of making a dramatic, albeit unlikely, comeback in the encounter.

Ajax were denied their third goal of the encounter when Marumo did well to get his finger-tips on the end of Mosa Lebusa’s well-worked chip inside the box.

Ajax Cape Town (1) 2 (Dolly 5’, Paulse 54’)

Polokwane City 0

Ajax Cape Town: Jaakkola, Lolo, Hlatshwayo, Rivaldo, Lebusa, Sangweni, Mzawakali (Losper 68’), Mobara, Paulse (Lark 62’), Dolly, Ernesto (Van de Laak 89’)

Polokwane City: Marumo, Molekwane, Lichaba, Mngqibisa, Tshilo, Sibande (Mdluli 72’), Moyana (Nzimande 61’), Jembula (Rakhale 63’), Kanyenda, Tlolane, Maluleke

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