Dull, drab, draw for Ajax, SuperSport

SuperSport United (0) 1

Tefera 59

Ajax Cape Town (0) 1

Fanteni 64

The stadium announcer declared “Halala Matsatsantsa, halala!” at the sound of the whistle indicating the end of a dull draw between SuperSport United and Ajax Cape Town in Pretoria on Wednesday night.

Halala means glory in Sotho but there was nothing glorious about SuperSport or Ajax’s display in this Absa Premiership encounter.

Gavin Hunt’s team did not look like the team that won the title last season. They were poor, to say the least.

In fact, they were lucky to share the spoils with Ajax, who wasted countless scoring opportunities.

Goals by Terror Fanteni and Fikru Terefa did little to end the boring affair.

The first-half would have been a health hazard for Ajax coach Foppe De Haan. If the Dutchman had a heart problem, his condition would have worsened as his charges missed a plethora of chances.

The men from Cape Town should have been ahead but poor decision-making and finishing by Thulani Serero, Paul Rusike and Sameehg Doutie let them down.

A move that should have resulted in goal saw the industrious Serero make a brilliant run down the middle before offloading to Rusike and the Zimbabwean midfielder sent a cross that found Doutie, whose shot went narrowly wide.

The SuperSport defence was sloppy. They failed to deal adequately with Ajax’s marauding frontrunners.

As for SuperSport, their attackers didn’t offer much. Their strikers appeared to be on strike as they failed to strike fear or goals.

Young Kermit Erasmus was caught off-side on a number of occasions while fellow striker Fikru Terefa was anonymous.

After the break, Ajax continued where they left off missing inviting opportunities chances.

Matsatsantsa a Pitori came to life to take the lead in the 59th minute, courtesy of Tefera’s goal.

The Ethiopian did a summersault celebration after he found the net with a good finish following a poor half-clearance by Ajax.

Ajax then pulled one back five minutes later.

The home side’s defence returned to dreamland and Rusike capitalised by moving goalwards.

He did well to exploit the space afforded to him down the left before rifling a shot that hit the upright.

The ball fell kindly for former Orlando Pirates striker Fanteni who scored the easiest goal of his life.

Fanteni, who could rarely be seen before this goal, was given marching orders by referee Frolick Jacob for an off- the-ball incident.

Substitute Anthony Laffor fluffed two glorious opportunity towards the end leaving Hunt dismayed but Ajax’s Seroro was the only star to shine.