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Pretoria - Following his side’s 2-1 Premiership victory over SuperSport United on Tuesday, Ajax Cape Town coach Muhsin Ertugral says he never doubted his young side.
"The team performed really well and they played great football and that’s what I’m very thankful about," Ertugral said after the game at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville, Pretoria.
"I have coached on three continents. I have seen some really high standard international teams. I know what has been going on in our training sessions and these youngsters are very impressive.
"We just need time. I knew that it would come."
Tuesday’s win was Ajax’s first on the road this season and lifted them into the top eight on the table. Goal-scorer Eleazar Rodgers celebrated his first ever goal for the "Urban Warriors".
Rodgers scored before half-time, to notch up his first of the season, before Aidan Jenniker scored five minutes from the end, to wrap-up the three points.
"Eleazar has understood how we want to operate without the ball," Ertugral said of Rodgers’ form.
"As a striker he needs to use the challenges, the pockets and the windows that we always have. He doesn't use those enough but he is getting into it every day. He scored today, an important one. Hopefully now he can get more confidence."
The former Kaizer Chiefs mentor conceded that Ajax’s consistency was a concern, particularly after losing their previous match to Moroka Swallows in Cape Town.
"Looking at all of our games, there were maybe one or two games that we should have lost… but the rest I don’t think so," he said.
"I don’t know what’s going on with us. We never should have lost to Swallows."
Meanwhile, Matsatsantsa (SuperSport United) coach Cavin Johnson hinted that a lack of determination from his troops was the reason for their lacklustre performance.
"Ajax came with a good plan and we weren’t able to get around them," he said.
"When you’re not able to play with 11 committed players, then you have a problem.
"And when you’re not able to play with 11 players that use the correct technique, then you have a problem again. I have a big problem with my team and I have to fix it up and that’s what I’m employed for."
The defeat saw SuperSport lose out on a chance to move to the top of the league standings, and instead they slipped down to third, tied on 18 points with Swallows but trail due to an inferior goal difference.
