Wits, Ajax share the spoils
Timothy Batabaire’s second half equaliser cancelled out Thembinkosi Fanteni’s early strike as Bidvest Wits and Ajax Cape Town played to a 1-1 draw in an Absa Premiership match on Wednesday night at the Bidvest Stadium.
The Urban Warriors were the first to open the scoring when from 12-yards out Fanteni’s right-footed shot went into bottom-left side of the of goal to hand the visitors a 1-0 lead in the tenth minute.
Ajax were not holding back behind the lead and in the 18th minute a Lebogang Manyama free-kick from left wing was headed by Fanteni who was on the left side of penalty area, but his effort missed to the left.
Wits, who at this time had no real chance of scoring, saw their first effort of the match, a left-footed shot by Sibusiso Vilakazi drilled from 25-yards on the left channel going over the bar in 20th minute.
In the 36th minute the Clever Boys had a chance to equalise when Katlego Pule’s cross was met by Sifiso Vilakazi, but the striker drilled a left-footed shot from 12-yards out to the right.
The Urban Warriors took a slim 1-0 lead to the change rooms.
Four minutes into the second half, Wits substitute Miguel Timms, who was a first half replacement for the injured Miller, had a right-footed shot from 30-yards out that went over the bar.
In the 59th minute the Clever Boys equalised through Timothy Batabaire.
An in-swinging corner from right by-line taken by Asive Langwe into the centre of goal and the Ugandan drilled a right-footed shot into the bottom-right side of goal from 12-yards out.
It was now 1-1.
With eight minutes remaining in the match, a shot by Wits’ Asive Langwe with his left-foot from the left channel 30-yards out was parried over the bar by Ajax goalkeeper Sander Westerveld.
The match ended at 1-1 and with both sides sharing a point a piece.
Bidvest Wits (0)1 (T. Batabaire 59')
Ajax Cape Town (1) (1 Fanteni 10’)
Wits: E Murambadoro; K Pule, T Batabaire, M Mabizela, P Phungwayo; C Miller (M Timms 41’), L Masalesa, Sbu Vilakazi, L Koapeng (Zongo 54’), A Langwe; Sifiso Vilakazi (Patel 85’)
Ajax: S Westerveld; N Allie, T Hlatshwayo, M Booth, K Wolff; L Manyama, G Scott, G Maluleka (N Vilakazi 58’), B Carelse; T Fanteni (A Van Graan 81’), T Rusike (Jenniker 90’)
