Muhsin Ertugral smiled and waved to fans upon his team’s arrival at Vodacom Loftus Stadium in Tshwane on Saturday evening ahead of his teams clash with Kaizer Chiefs, by the end of the evening the smile had turned to frustration as Chiefs ran out winners by a solitary goal over his team.

With a well earned hard and truly well deserved win Chiefs over took Ertugral’s team as The Amakhosi have a superior goal difference, and laid claim to the top spot in the league for the first time this season. In a game which Chiefs dominated and should have made the score line look more emphatic, Ernst Middendorp will be happy with the fact that Siyabonga Nkosi’s solitary strike was enough to win Chiefs the points.

It was always going to be a case of the team who would be willing to take the initiative in attack would be the ones dictating the state of play, this rang true in the first half as Chiefs attacked their visitors from the word go. The Amakhosi had their first crack at goals seven minutes into the game when striker Kaizer Motaung Junior timed his run perfectly, and latched onto a long ball down the right wing. Motaung did well to reach the ball and shot first time towards the Ajax goal, Hans Vonk the Ajax keeper though was up to the challenge and made the save look easy.

Four minutes later and Chiefs once again laid siege to the Ajax goal mouth and were unfortunate not to have taken the lead, as Siyabonga Nkosi stormed down the right hand side and sent in a dangerous looking ball towards Rotson Kilambe.

The Chiefs striker

Managed to get in front of his marker and headed the ball goal wards, once again Hans Vonk was in the right place at the right time. On this occasion the Ajax keeper who was standing on his goal line was able to push the ball upwards and over the cross bar to safety.

Coming into the game much was said about the much vaunted Ajax midfield Chiefs seemed to have done their homework and had kept them quiet in the opening quarter of the first period. As a result Ajax were unable to see much of Rowen Fernandez goal and had to rely on taking shots from distance, Russell Mwafulirwa tried his luck with a shot from distance after fourteen minutes.

He was unable to test Rowen Fernandez as his attempt flew well wide of the Chiefs goalkeeper, a few minutes later though the Urban Warriors caused some panic in the Chiefs goal mouth. When on twenty two minutes Clayton Jagers ran unchecked into the Chiefs goal mouth and came agonizingly close to heading his team into the lead, off an accurately taken corner from Brent Carelse.

For all their persistence and enterprising play Chiefs were rewarded with a goal just past the half hour mark as the rain descended upon Loftus, Siyabonga Nkosi stepped up to give warm up a drenched crowd with a goal on thirty two minutes. Nkosi was gifted with the opportunity to get his fourth league goal of the season, after Rotson Kilambe’s initial shot at goal was blocked by Vonk. The rebound fell invitingly for the Chiefs midfielder who needed no second invitation and side footed the ball home to put Chiefs ahead, and calm the nerves of the large crowd.

The final action of the first half though saw Ajax Cape Town presented with two opportunities to get back on level terms, first Rowen Fernandez was made to work hard as Clayton Jagers, tested the Chiefs goalkeeper with a shot across the face of goal in the thirty sixth minute. Fernandez was equal to the shot and got down well to palm the ball away to safety and kept his goal intact, on the stroke of half time Ajax were almost gifted a goal from Chiefs.

As Cyril Nzama tried to clear an Ajax cross away the wind blew the ball back towards Fernandez, the Chiefs goalie had to think quick and punched the ball forward before Gerald Sibeko came in and cleared the ball away. Chiefs lead 1-0 at the half way stage.

Ajax looked a different team in the second half and were looked more dangerous in attack and had the first strike at goal on fifty six minutes, as Ajax substitute Franklin Cale did well to control the ball after receiving a ball from the left. Cale played the ball up and knocked a well timed volley goal wards, again Fernandez came up trumps for Chiefs and managed to get in the way of the ball and sent it to safety. On the hour mark Rotson Kilambe could have sealed the game for Chiefs after he was able to turn Brett Evans, his shot goal wards was way off target and flew horribly wide of Hans Vonk.

Chiefs continued to keep possession of the ball although there was a ten minute spell between the 68th and 78th minute where Ajax threatened the Chiefs goal, it was when one of Ajax’s attacks broke down that Chiefs were able to launch a tirade up field.

Scara Ngobese made good use of the ball as he send a sweeping ball across the field, which Gerald Sibeko collected and quickly played a pass to Siyabonga Nkosi. Who turned three Ajax defenders before knocking the ball towards goal, Nkosi was unable to double his goal scoring tally as Ajax defender Dikilu got a foot in the way and deflected the ball away.

With their first victory over Ajax Cape Town under Ernst Middendorp Chiefs will go into the new week as the number one team in the country, it is a spot that The Amakhosi will be looking to make their own for the next few months.

Chiefs will savor this victory over Ajax and will begin preparations for their next match against defending PSL Champions Mamelodi Sundowns in a week’s time. Victory over Sundowns in a week’s time will send out a message to all the challengers that Chiefs intend holding on to top spot for a long time to come.

Line Up’s:

Kaizer Chiefs:

1. R. Fernandez, 4. C. Nzama, 2. J. Tau, 21. P. Mayo, 33. D. Mototo,

27. G. Sibeko, 8. T. Nengomasha, 11. E. Ngobese, 10. S. Nkosi, 22. R. Kilambe (13. Obua 90+ min),

7. K. Motaung Junior (31. Radebe 61 min)

Substitutes:

16. R. Wuest, 18. A. Zwane, 28. D. Spencer, 31. D. Radebe, 13. D. Obua,

24. D. Mathebula

Coach: Ernst Middendorp

Ajax Cape Town:

1. H. Vonk, 20. B. Moon, 13. S. Dikulu, 25. B. Evans, 28. C. Jagers, 19. R. Mwafulirwa (15. Siwahla 52 min), 29. T. Fanteni, 5. C. Ngobeni, 10. B. Carlese,

12. G. Scott (24. Cale 46 min), 6. M. Shumana (9. Paulse 63 min)

Substitutes:

18. C. Woodington, 9. N. Paulse, 24. F. Cale, 27. T. Tshinyama,

11. D. Claasen, 16. A. Petim, 15. M. Siwahla,

Coach: Muhsin Ertugral

Cautions: Kaizer Chiefs, Yellow: Rotson Kilambe


Ajax Cape Town, Yellow Cards, Brett Evans 55 minutes

Officials


Referee: Thabo Nkosi


Assistant 1: Mantuse Nayo


Assistant 2: Shaheen Salot


4th Official: Paulo Marques


Match Commissioner: Robert Pillay