DURBAN – Ajax Cape Town survived a stoppage-time scare to edge Orlando Pirates 2-1 Saturday and win the South African League Cup a second time.
Substitute Bennett Chenene squandered a glorious chance to take a match watched by a capacity 22 000 crowd into extra time when firing well wide with only goalkeeper Andre Petim to beat.
The result left former African champions Pirates without a major domestic cup success since 1996 while the previous League Cup victory of Ajax eight years ago also came against the ‘Buccaneers’.
Striker Mabhuti Khenyeza scored twice within 16 minutes of the kick-off on a balmy night at Chatsworth Stadium in this Indian Ocean city as Pirates defence battled to contain livewire opponents.
The tide gradually turned during the second half in favour of a Pirates team coached by former Dutch star Ruud Krol and substitute Siphelele Mthembu reduced arrears on 74 minutes.
But as Chenene blundered, his team mates could only curse their bad luck as Benson Mhlongo, Zimbabwean Gilbert Mushangazhike and Dikgang Malalane were foiled by the woodwork. – Nampa-AFP
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