Chiefs leave it late against Ajax

Knowledge Musona scored two goals in the space of five minutes to give Kaizer Chiefs a 2-0 victory over Ajax Cape Town in their Absa Premiership match at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Wednesday evening.

Anssi Jaakkola pulled off an impressive amount of saves throughout the match to deny the Amakhosi, but he could only hold out until the 85^th minute as Chiefs went six points clear at the top of the table.

Having claimed the bragging rights from the Soweto Derby against Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs arrived in Polokwane looking to continue with their momentum, while Ajax were hoping to claim their first away win under Roger de Sa.

The visitors were looking lethal on the counter attack and an early chance fell to them when Keagan Dolly and Tasriq Morris took on two defenders after Tsepo Masilela lost possession. However, the latter’s pass to Dolly was skewed and he couldn’t connect for a shot.

Chiefs immediately responded with a chance of their own in the eighth minute when Tefu Mashamaite connected to a corner kick, but Nazeer Allie brilliantly blocked it.

Siphiwe Tshabalala was denied of an opening goal in the 16^th minute when Anssi Jaakkola did well to punch away his free-kick from the byline, while, on the other end of the field, Morris drew a save from Reyaad Pieterse at the near post.

As the half went on, Ajax were starting the feel the pressure from the defending champions and were particularly having trouble dealing with the combination play of Knowledge Musona and Tshabalala.

It was so nearly 1-0 to Chiefs when Aiden Jenniker nearly turned the ball into the back of his own net on the half hour. The defender didn’t realise Jaakkola was off his line and he passed the ball back to his ‘keeper, which forced the Finn to rush back and make a sliding clearance off the line with the slightest touch of his foot.

In the final minutes of the half Musona and company burst through into the box like a tidal wave, but he couldn’t convert as the striker saw his effort cleared off the line by Thulani Hlatshwayo.

Chiefs were back into the thick of things at the restart and they forced the Ajax ‘keeper into making two crucial saves. His first arrived when he palmed away Mashamaite’s threatening header, before then turning Tshabalala’s shot onto the woodwork.

Kingston Nkhatha thought he had put Chiefs in the lead just after the hour mark. The midfielder connected onto Tshabalala’s free-kick with a fantastic bicycle effort, but it didn’t stand due to Mashamaite handling the ball in the box beforehand.

It just wasn’t going the Glamour Boys’ way when Nkhatha's effort was again denied by the Ajax ‘keeper. This time it took a deflection off Jaakkola's legs and looped over the net to go out for a corner.

Ajax saw their best chance of the second-half arrive 15 minutes from time when Pieterse recovered well from his spilled ball off Cecil Lolo’s shot to deny Morris on the rebound from close range.

But just when the game looked destined to be a goalless draw, Musona scored two goals in the matter of five minutes.

The first arrived when he burst into the box and chipped the ball over the onrushing ‘keeper in the 85^th minute, before adding the icing to the cake with a headed effort from George Lebese’s cross to make it 2-0.

Kaizer Chiefs (0) 2 (Musona 85’, 90’)

Ajax Cape Town 0

Kaizer Chiefs: Pieterse, Moleko, Mashamaite, Mathoho, Masilela, Katsande, Letsholonyane (Gould 90’), Tshabalala, Rusike (Lebese 62’), Musona, Nkhatha (Mphela 79’)

Ajax Cape Town: Anssi, Allie, Isaacs, Hlatshwayo, Jenniker, Sangweni, Morris, Dolly, Scott, Simba (Rodgers 72’), Telinho (Lolo 58’)

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