Indeed the Amakhosi enjoyed mixed emotions on a warm but windy outing at Newlands Stadium, Chiefs having had players sent off in two of their last three games had another staff member sent early to the changing room.

On this occasion it was not to be one of the eleven on the field of play but surprisingly the fourth of official called for the referee and after a short deliberation Amakhosi team doctor Phil Maepa was ejected from the bench, leaving Physio David Milner alone to tend to the wounded for almost an hour.

Ajax took the lead in this pulsating and energy sapping encounter, in truth it was a travesty of justice as it should have been Chiefs who should have been celebrating, Louis Agyemang with a deft back heel sent Gert Schalkwyk through Ajax defence and with only Josephs to beat the midfielder shot tamely at the Ajax goal.

Ajax quickly counter attacked and Nathan Paulse gave the urban warriors the lead very much against the run of play.

Chiefs did not lie back and continued to push for an equaliser and found it on 38 minutes, when Cyril Nzama met clinically with a Gert Schalkwyk cross to bring Chiefs level and send the huge contingent of Chiefs supporters into raptures.

The first chance of the second half fell to Ajax but Rowen Fernandez was on hand to keep Nathan Paulse at bay from close range.

Just past the hour mark Arthur Zwane brought out the best in Josephs making the Ajax keeper earn his match bonus with a superb save from a close range effort.

Ernst Middendorp made four changes to the team that took on Super Sport a week ago; one of those was left back Ditheko Mototo who justified his inclusion in the starting line up.

Apart from his solid performance in defence Mototo picked up a lose ball outside the Chiefs 18 yard area and out sprinted five Ajax players and calmly slotted the ball past Josephs to give Chiefs the lead.

The lead hardly lasted a minute and Ajax were back in the game as Kanku put the ball into the back the of the net from a corner, Chiefs still had the chance to win the game.

Kaizer Motaung Junior who came on as a substitute hit the post from an acute angle and Arthur Zwane shook the cross bar from when the ball fell to him from the rebound.

Captain Cyril Nzama forced Josephs into an acrobatic save late in injury time as Chiefs resigned themselves to a share of the spoils.

For the Amakhosi a promising afternoon turned out to be one where they had to share the spoils although with Free State Stars and Orlando Pirates on the horizon there are many positive factors for coach Ernst Middendorp to be satisfied with.

Chiefs new defensive pairing of Mkhonza and Mototo stood firm in their first ninety minutes together, with Mototo in a left back David Obua was able to wreck havoc down the left wing and play in his preferred role as a left midfielder.

Line Up’s: Ajax Cape Town: 1. M. Josephs, 24. F. Cayle, 28. G. Mofokeng, 17. Q. Jacobs, 20. B. Moon (21. Motlhajwa 77 min), 9. N. Paulse, 11. K. Mulekelayi, 18. S. Lewis (23. Mubiala 45 min), 22. S. Poggenpoel (10. Carelse 64min), 25. B. Evans, 27. T. Tshinyama

Substitutes: 16. A. Petim, 23. C. Mubiala, 21. S. Motlhajwa, 5. T. Mouyouma, 12. G. Scott, 10. B. Carelse, 6. M. Shumana

Kaizer Chiefs: 1. R. Fernandez, 28. D. Spencer (21. Mayo 45 min), 4. C. Nzama, 44. S. Mkhonza, 33. D. Mototo, 8. T. Nengomasha, 12. T. Mooki (27. G. Sibeko 45min),

13. D. Obua, 18. A. Zwane, 25. G. Schalkwyk (7. Motaung 73 min), 20. L. Agyemang

Substitutes: 30. T. Mathibe, 21. P. Mayo, 27. G. Sibeko, 7. K. Motuang Jnr, 10. S. Chalwe, 24. D. Mathebula, 17. R. Richards

Yellow Cards: Ajax: 25. B. Evans, 18. S. Lewis

Chiefs: 4. C. Nzama

Red Cards: Chiefs: P. Maepa (Team Doctor), Ejected from field

Referee: T. Nkosi


Assistant 1: R. Motloung


Assistant 2: C. Netsiongolwe


4TH Official: K. De. Goede


Match Commissioner: M. Lindon