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Johannesburg - Platinum Stars beat Ajax Cape Town 2-0 in an entertaining Absa Premiership match in Rustenburg on Saturday afternoon.
First-half goals from midfielder Lantshane Phalane, on debut, and fellow new signing Elias Ngwepe helped the new look outfit claim their first three points of the season.
Phalane, signed from second division Baroka FC, expertly finished off a pass from Thulo Phala in the 18th minute after the winger went on a marauding run down the right channel.
Ngwepe doubled the margin from the penalty spot in the 32nd minute after Nazeer Allie handled the ball in the box.
Taking the 2-0 lead to half-time, Dinaledi could have added more goals soon after the interval.
Phala, however, did not draw enough power from his close range shot and Ajax goalkeeper Sean Roberts collected it easily.
On the hour mark, Phalane nearly completed a brace as he saw his free kick from the edge of the box sail narrowly over the goalposts.
Late in the match, substitute striker Terrance Mandaza twisted and turned for his shot to be pelted away by Roberts.
Ajax, who finished second in the league last season, were not as sharp as they were last weekend when they beat SuperSport United 5-2 in the MTN8 quarter-finals.
The Cape side's Zimbabwean forward, Paul Rasuke, managed to find the side netting in the opening minutes after being well supplied by Thembinkosi Fanteni, who showed good touches in patches.
With the side already two goals down, wingback Thulani Hlatshwayo managed to deliver an inch-perfect cross from the right which the busy Rasuke again badly miscued.
Shortly before the break, Allie tried to make up for earlier mishaps by playing through a perfect long pass from deep that found midfielder Khama Billiat, who initially controlled well before his second touch let him down as the Stars defence recovered.
Ajax went in desperate search of a goal, with Rasuke's ambitious effort from a distance in the 50th minute sailing way over the posts.
In the dying seconds of the match, Billiat summed up his team's day as he saw an effort rebound of the woodwork after a good build-up from deep.
Stars's next fixture is against defending league champions Orlando Pirates in Soweto on Tuesday.
Ajax will attempt to garner their first points of the season when they take on Maritzburg United in Cape Town on Wednesday.
