Publications
Partners
Pretoria - Mamelodi Sundowns piled more misery on struggling Ajax Cape Town with a 3-1 win in their Premiership match at Loftus Versfeld on Tuesday evening.
Goals from Eleazar Rodgers, Edward Manqele and Hlompho Kekana secured all three points for the Brazilians, while Mabhuti Khenyeza scored Ajax's goal but the striker also received a red card in dying minutes.
Both sides drew in their previous encounters. Sundowns kept high-flying Platinum Stars to a 1-1 draw away from home while Ajax played to a goalless draw against an improving AmaZulu side.
VIDEO: Sundowns v Ajax, highlights
Ajax started the brighter of the two sides as they looked to calm early nerves by grabbing an early breakthrough. Khenyeza and Khama Billiat tried their luck inside the first ten minutes.
However, despite Ajax’s bright start it was the Brazilians who created the first real chance of the match in the 17th minute.
Teko Modise played a good ball into the area, Wayne Arendse rose highest and directed a powerful header towards goal, but Sander Westerveld tipped it over for a corner-kick.
It was from the resulting corner that the home side opened the scoring. Arendse directed Elias Pelembe’s cross into the path of Rodgers, the striker made no mistake from close range, heading the ball into the back of the net to bag only his second goal of the season.
Manqele doubled his side’s lead 10 minutes later to take his goal tally to two in the league. Modise found the unmarked striker just outside the area and Manqele made no mistake, sliding a neat ball across the turf into the back of the net.
Former 'Downs striker Khenyeza pulled one back for the Urban Warriors in the 37th minute of the match. Khenyeza’s run to the near post was found by a great ball by Scott, as the striker made no mistake slotting the ball neatly past Sandilands from close range.
Sundowns were good value for their lead, but Khenyeza made sure that it would be an exciting second stanza with his goal eight minutes before the break.
Ajax started the second half as they did the first, looking to grab an early goal. Second half substitute Nyasha Mushekwi nearly made an immediate impact. He met a Pelembe corner with his head in the 78th minute of the match, but Westerveld was up to the task.
Kekana put the game beyond the Capetonians’ reach in second half stoppage time. The midfielder coolly netted from the penalty spot after he was brought down in the area. It was his first goal of the season.
Insult was added to injury when, in the final seconds of the encounter, Khenyeza was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence.
The win means that Sundowns draw level with Tuks in 10th place while Ajax, on the other hand, remain in 15th place, three points above Chippa United who occupy the foot of the table. The defeat means that the Urban Warriors have gone eight games without a win.
Goals from Eleazar Rodgers, Edward Manqele and Hlompho Kekana secured all three points for the Brazilians, while Mabhuti Khenyeza scored Ajax's goal but the striker also received a red card in dying minutes.
Both sides drew in their previous encounters. Sundowns kept high-flying Platinum Stars to a 1-1 draw away from home while Ajax played to a goalless draw against an improving AmaZulu side.
VIDEO: Sundowns v Ajax, highlights
Ajax started the brighter of the two sides as they looked to calm early nerves by grabbing an early breakthrough. Khenyeza and Khama Billiat tried their luck inside the first ten minutes.
However, despite Ajax’s bright start it was the Brazilians who created the first real chance of the match in the 17th minute.
Teko Modise played a good ball into the area, Wayne Arendse rose highest and directed a powerful header towards goal, but Sander Westerveld tipped it over for a corner-kick.
It was from the resulting corner that the home side opened the scoring. Arendse directed Elias Pelembe’s cross into the path of Rodgers, the striker made no mistake from close range, heading the ball into the back of the net to bag only his second goal of the season.
Manqele doubled his side’s lead 10 minutes later to take his goal tally to two in the league. Modise found the unmarked striker just outside the area and Manqele made no mistake, sliding a neat ball across the turf into the back of the net.
Former 'Downs striker Khenyeza pulled one back for the Urban Warriors in the 37th minute of the match. Khenyeza’s run to the near post was found by a great ball by Scott, as the striker made no mistake slotting the ball neatly past Sandilands from close range.
Sundowns were good value for their lead, but Khenyeza made sure that it would be an exciting second stanza with his goal eight minutes before the break.
Ajax started the second half as they did the first, looking to grab an early goal. Second half substitute Nyasha Mushekwi nearly made an immediate impact. He met a Pelembe corner with his head in the 78th minute of the match, but Westerveld was up to the task.
Kekana put the game beyond the Capetonians’ reach in second half stoppage time. The midfielder coolly netted from the penalty spot after he was brought down in the area. It was his first goal of the season.
Insult was added to injury when, in the final seconds of the encounter, Khenyeza was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence.
The win means that Sundowns draw level with Tuks in 10th place while Ajax, on the other hand, remain in 15th place, three points above Chippa United who occupy the foot of the table. The defeat means that the Urban Warriors have gone eight games without a win.
