It was not the kind of game that would linger in your memory for a long time as Chiefs and Ajax Cape Town played out goalless draw in Kimberly, which still leaves both teams without a win this season. In a game which promised a lot both teams delivered very little in terms of goal mouth action with the ball bottled up for most of the game in the middle of the park. The Amakhosi though have captain Rowen Fernandez to thank for helping them earn the point, as he saved a Nathan Paulse penalty on 70 minutes, which kept Chiefs in the game.

The first half of the match produced no goals and even fewer scoring opportunities although Kaizer Motaung Junior did create and opening for Shaun Bartlett after evading the challenge of an Ajax defender on the right wing. Motaung sent in a cross for Bartlett as the Chiefs striker readied himself to slam the ball into the back of the net, Ajax defender George Mofokeng came sliding across the turf to clear the danger.

In the second half both sides made substitutions with the hope of getting goals as Ernst Middendorp introduced David Mathebula and his Ajax counterpart looked towards Mkhanyiseli Siwahla to break the deadlock. The opening exchanges of the first half failed to produce much and it was just after the hour mark that the game alive which kept the near capacity crowd on their feet, the excitement began when Nathan Paulse was able to spring the Chiefs offside trap on 63 minutes. The Ajax let fly a ferocious shot in the direction of Chiefs goalkeeper Rowen Fernandez but the The Amakhosi captain was in no mood to be beaten, as he pulled off a superb stop to deny Paulse.

A minute later and the ever persistent Mathebula opened up the Ajax defence as he cut through the Urban Warriors defence line he sent a low grounded ball towards Siyabonga Nkosi who had found space and was in a good goal scoring position; however the Ajax defence backtracked in time to cut out the pass.

As the game entered the final twenty minutes Ajax were handed the perfect opportunity to win the game when the referred awarded them a penalty. This after Derrick Spencer was called for dangerous play on Paulse when attempting to clear a cross by Ajax’s Mofokeng who had initially done well to keep the ball in play, Paulse then picked himself up to take the spot kick. He strolled leisurely to the ball and did not strike it with much power, as Fernandez at full stretch dived to his right to make the save, which had the Chiefs fans in raptures and nearly proceeded to bring the roof down.

The final fifteen minutes of the game saw Chiefs best opportunities to have won the game, as first Tinashe Nengomasha forced Hans Vonk into making an acrobatic save on 78 minutes, after a loose ball from a Scar Ngobese free kick from the right fell his way. Nengomasha wasted no time in hitting the ball first time out and almost caught Vonk out, the Ajax keeper recovered well to make a great save. With three minutes of normal time remaining Kaizer Junior was unfortunate not to have got his name on the score sheet, as his goal bound header off a Scara Ngobese free kick was cleared off the Ajax goal line.

Ernst Middendorp won’t be particularly pleased with the fact that Chiefs after four games of the new season are still winless; Chiefs will have an opportunity to change that on Wednesday evening when they face Wits University in Johannesburg. After the clash with the Clever Boys The Amakhosi will turn their attention to Cup Football and their SAA Supa8 Semi Final clash with Moroka Swallows in Durban.

Line Up’s:

Ajax Cape Town: 1. H. Vonk, 4. D. Isaacs, 2. N. Allie, 25. B. Evans, 13. B. Dikulu, 28. G. Mofokeng,

20. B. Moon, 10. B. Carelse (15. Siwahla 46 min), 5. C. Ngobeni (24. Cale 52 min), 6. M. Shumana, 9. N. Paulse

Substitutes: 15. M. Siwahla, 7. N. Shabalala, 11. C. Kostis, 24. F. Cale, 29. T. Fanteni, 19. R. Mwafulirwa

Coach: Muhsin Ertugral

Kaizer Chiefs: 1. R. Fernandez, 2. J. Tau, 44. S. Mkhonza, 28. D. Spencer, 21. P. Mayo, 8. T. Nengomasha, 18. A. Zwane (11. Ngobese 73 min), 10. S. Nkosi, 33. D. Mototo (24. Mathebula 46 min), 7. K. Motaung Jnr, 17. S. Bartlett

Substitutes: 16. R. Wuest, 4. C. Nzama, 12. T. Mooki, 11. E. Ngobese, 6. F. McCarthy, 20. L. Agyemang, 24. D. Mathebula

Coach: Ernst Middendorp

Cautions:

Ajax Cape Town: 19. Russell Mwafulirwa 81 min for dissent on bench, 15. Mkhanyiseli Siwahla 82 min


Kaizer Chiefs, Yellow Cards: 8 Tinashe Nengomasha 40 min

Officials:


Referee: Lwandile Mfiki


Assistant 1: Mzimkhulu Chalambisa


Assistant2: Lindikhaya Bolo


Fourth Official: Everest Rasoeu


Match Commissioner: Adeal Carelse