Ajax desperate for home points

by Graeme Jackson

Tuesday Feb 27, 2018. 08:05

Ajax Cape Town will be desperate for a haul of three Absa Premiership points when they host SuperSport United at Athlone Stadium on 28 February 2018, kick-off at 19h30.

Ajax suffered their 11th loss of the season when they were beaten 1-0 at Golden Arrows on February 25. The Cape side has won just one of their last five league matches, picking up five points from a possible 15 in the sequence.

The Urban Warriors have claimed 18 points from 11 home matches this season, with their last turn as hosts producing an impressive 3-0 win over Orlando Pirates in late January.

SuperSport played to a second successive draw when they held log leaders and Tshwane rivals Mamelodi Sundowns 1-1 away from home on February 24. They have won just one of their last seven league matches, a sequence of results which has brought just six points from a possible 21.

Matsatsantsa have claimed just 10 points from 11 away matches this season, with their last win on the road coming in mid-January when they beat Maritzburg United 1-0 at Harry Gwala Stadium.

In head-to-head stats, SuperSport and Ajax have met in 37 league matches since 1999/2000. Matsatsantsa have claimed 15 wins compared to 12 for the Urban Warriors, while 10 matches have been drawn. The Cape side has won six of their 18 home league matches against their Tshwane counterparts, suffering six defeats in the process.

When the teams met earlier this season, United claimed a 1-0 home win in late November 2017 thanks to a first-half strike from midfielder Aubrey Modiba. Matsatsantsa have kept three consecutive clean sheets against Ajax in the league.

Ajax’s line-up from their 1-0 loss to Arrows on February 25: Petersen, Zwane, Pietersen, Lebusa, Sasman, Malepe, Takwara (Gaxa 60’), Margeman (Mdabuka 46’), Morris (Lakay 58’), Losper, Ndoro.

SuperSport’s line-up from their 1-1 draw with Sundowns on February 24: Williams, Nhlapo, Kekana, Gould, Daniels, Boateng (Bhasera 46’), Letsholonyane, Furman, Mokoena, Mnyamane (Phala 64’), Rusike (Egwuekwe 90’).