Kaizer Chiefs have put behind them the disappointment of missing out not being able to seize the opportunity to have gone top of the PSL table this past weekend when they were narrowly defeated in Orkney by Jomo Cosmos.

The Amakhosi have instead knuckled down and have been preparing in earnest for their showdown this weekend with Ajax Cape Town, who by virtue of a three nil victory over Cosmos in Cape Town on Wednesday evening, have claimed the top spot on the table.

Having already faced a number of other title contenders, the likes of SuperSport United, Silver Stars and Jomo Cosmos in January, Chiefs would be in the fortunate position of knowing what they are up against on Saturday evening. Chiefs will have to put out a blistering Ajax Cape Town team who in their last seven games have lost just once, and have along the way deposed of the likes of Orlando Pirates, Mamelodi Sundowns, Bidvest Wits and most recently Jomo Cosmos.

Chiefs will enter the game as underdogs having won just one of their last four league games. The fact that they are playing against the league leaders and that victory on Saturday could see them join Ajax at the top of the table, will be enough motivation for The Amakhosi to go out and fight all the way with the Urban Warriors for three points which will most definitely breath new life into Chiefs' title aspirations. Furthermore Ernst Middendorp will be hoping to ring out January with a win.

Historically speaking

If one looks at clashes in the early years between Chiefs and Ajax Cape Town it does not make for good reading if you are a Kaizer Chiefs fan, as it took Chiefs almost three years before they registered their first league win over the Urban Warriors.

The first time Chiefs met Ajax was during the Urban Warriors inaugural season (99 – 00) in the PSL on the 17th November 1999 when Ajax Cape Town walked away the victors from the first meeting between the two sides. The Amakhosi had to wait until the 27th February 2002 to record their first win over The Urban Warriors and it came in emphatic fashion in a three-one Chiefs win at Ellis Park, with Rene Richards, Patrick Mabedi and Stanton Fredericks doing the damage for Chiefs.

The irony of this weekend's encounter is that while current Ajax Cape Town coach Muhsin Ertugral was at the helm of the Amakhosi, the only time he was able to defeat the Urban Warriors in six league games that he faced them as Chiefs coach games, was in that February 2002 win.

While in their early years in the PSL, Ajax held the statistical advantage over Chiefs but the tide has turned in recent times, and it is Chiefs who have got the stranglehold over the team from the Mother City. As one would have to go back to the 2001 – 2002 season to find the last time that Ajax scored a victory over Chiefs in a league game, and that was on the 17th October 2001 when Ajax beat Chiefs by two goals to one at Newlands in Cape Town.

Amongst the most memorable games contested between the two teams in recent times has to be a two-all draw played out by the two teams in December 2005, at the Newlands rugby stadium in Cape Town. It will be a game best remembered for its open and exciting football delivered by both teams, Chiefs took the lead twice in the game with both Ajax goals coming a minute after Chiefs had scored on both occasions.

Amakhosi defender Ditheko Mototo scored Chiefs second goal, which was a truly memorable goal as he sped all the way from the Chiefs 18 yard area up field to tuck the ball away. Chiefs' joy though, was short lived as Ajax for the second time in the game equalized to set up a tense finish to an exciting game, which Chiefs could have won but Kaizer Motaung Junior was denied the opportunity to be Chiefs' hero when he struck the Ajax cross bar with a ferocious shot in injury time.

Form

A few weeks ago not many people would have thought that Ajax Cape Town could have been in the top three in the league standings, but Muhsin Ertugral’s team, by collecting eighteen out of a possible twenty one points in the past eight weeks, have stunned all the doubters and currently lead the PSL Standings.

In a run of ten games which has seen them lose one game, draw two more and come home with the full compliment of points in a further seven games, Ajax have made it clear that they need to be taken seriously as title contenders. Ajax’s rise has been meteoric and they have really held the league captive over the past few weeks. With their amazing run to the top, Ajax have played against most of the teams in the top ten places in the league.

Excluding Chiefs and from the top eight teams in the league, Bloemfontein Celtic are presently the only team to have defeated Ajax this season. Muhsin Ertugral’s team are red hot at the moment and need to be taken seriously and anyone who knows Chiefs will be aware of the fact that The Amakhosi play better as underdogs.

While Ajax have lost just once in 2007, Chiefs have have won just one of their last four games, but The Amakhosi can feel hard done by the fact that they were defeated in their last league game against Jomo Cosmos. It was a game in which Chiefs dominated play and found more space in front of goal than their opponents. Chiefs overall form has been good but their ability to finish off the opposition in recent times has been found wanting. Finishing is a part of their game that Chiefs have been hard at work rectifying this past week.

Chiefs need to get back to winning ways and although Ajax Cape Town will be a formidable opponent, The Amakhosi will be ready for the log leaders and will do themselves a lot of favours if they show the same kind of form in front of goal that they did during December.

Key Players

Ajax's resurgence has been laid on a foundation of a strong midfield anchored by Mfundo Shumana, who played out of his socks when the Urban Warriors routed Jomo Cosmos on Wednesday evening. The young midfielder laid on Ajax’s first goal with a pin point cross which was duly knocked home by Thembinkosi Fanteni. While Shumana has laid the ground work for Ajax, Fanteni who scored a brace against Cosmos, has laid the finishing touches in contributing with seven league goals for Ajax this season.

Shumana has also been aided in midfield by Brent Carlese and Granwald Scott, the latter demonstrated his ability to score and create goals when he contributed by scoring Ajax’s second goal in the win over Cosmos. Muhsin Ertugral will also have the likes of Franklin Cale call to call on should he need to. Cale has added width for Ajax on the left in recent matches, he has contributed by sending in a number of telling balls into the danger area.

Chiefs inability in recent games to convert the numerous chances that they have created as meant that they have drawn or lost games that they should have otherwise have won. It is in this regard that there will be a lot of attention on the Chiefs strikers to deliver the goods on Saturday evening.

The stage has been set for the likes of Kaizer Motaung Junior to step up an hopefully bring his current goal tally of seven league goals for the season closer to double figures. Chiefs' number seven has been the match saver for Chiefs on a number of occasions so far this season and his ability to hit the target will go along way towards helping The Amakhosi get the three points.

Kaizer Junior has been supported well by Siyabonga Nkosi, who's forays from the centre of midfield have played a major role as Chiefs have been able to take control of games on a number of occasions. Nkosi's star is currently shining the brightest for Chiefs and he needs to shine again on Saturday.

Tinashe Nengomasha too has been ascending to lofty heights in recent weeks and will play a key role on Saturday in the battle for midfield supremacy. And against a creative midfield like Ajax possess, Nengomasha will need to be at his best to fight off the likes of Shumana and Scott.

Results Kaizer Chiefs Vs Ajax Cape Town since 1999 – 2000

1999 – 2000


Kaizer Chiefs 1 (Khumalo) Ajax Cape Town 2


Ajax Cape Town 1 Kaizer Chiefs 0

20000-2001
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Kaizer Chiefs 0 Ajax Cape Town 0


Ajax Cape Town 3 Kaizer Chiefs 2 (Nomvete, Illodigwe)

2001-2002


Ajax Cape Town 2 Kaizer Chiefs 1 (Sithole)


Kaizer Chiefs 3 (Richards, Mabedi pen, Fredericks) Ajax Cape Town 1

2002-2003


Kaizer Chiefs 1 (Fredericks) Ajax Cape Town 1


Ajax Cape Town 0 Kaizer Chiefs 2 (Fredericks, Mussasa)

2003-2004


Kaizer Chiefs 1 (Dlamini) Ajax Cape Town 0


Ajax Cape Town 0 Kaizer Chiefs 0

2004-2005


Kaizer Chiefs 2 (Zwane x2) Ajax Cape Town 2


Ajax Cape Town 1 Kaizer Chiefs 2 (Mbesuma, Radebe)

2005-2006


Kaizer Chiefs 0 Ajax Cape Town 0


Ajax Cape Town 2 Kaizer Chiefs 2 (Nzama, Mototo)

2006 – 2007


Ajax Cape Town 0 Kaizer Chiefs 0

Kaizer Chiefs Vs Ajax Cape Town Head to Head since 1999 – 2000

P W L D GF GA GD


Chiefs 15 4 4 11 17 15 2


Ajax 15 4 4 11 15 17 -2