Free State Stars © Backpagepix

Overall it was tightly contested game although on the balance of play the home side would have felt they did not deserve to be eliminated.

Ajax had a great chance early in the game on when Sameehg Doutie surged into the box and fired goal-wards, but his seventh minute effort struck the crossbar.

A couple of minutes later Stars had their first real chance of the contest when Kingston Nkhatha went clean through on goal but he was denied by a good save from Hans Vonk.

Ajax though looked the more threatening unit in attack and they took the lead in the 23rd minute when some slick interplay resulted in Thulani Serero feeding Nhlanhla Shabalala; the latter making no mistake with a low drive across Stars keeper Kennedy Mweene and into the far corner.

Six minutes later Dipsy Selolwane had an excellent chance to double the Urban Warriors’ lead, but he shot tamely at Mweene after his first touch had taken him into an excellent scoring position.

Stars though continued to show signs that of their potential threat to the Ajax goal, especially from set-pieces, where Nkhatha came close with a well-struck 34th minute free kick.

With 40 minutes gone Stars coach Themba Sithole made a tactical change, bringing on Aleni Lebyane for Manti Moholo.

And within two minutes Lebyane had made the difference when his back post cross picked out Nkhatha for a relatively easy header.

It was Stars who appeared the stronger team after the break, taking the game to Ajax with a new sense of confidence.

Within the first 10 minutes of the second half Costa Marinho had flashed a header wide of goal while Mpho Makola should have done better with his shot from the edge of the box after some inspired build up play by the Free State side.

Clayton Daniels then came to Ajax’s rescue in the 67th minute when he made an important block to keep out Nkhatha’s shot.

With around 20 minutes to go Ajax finally began to exert some influence in attack and Nathan Paulse was close to netting in the 71st minute when his header struck the side-netting.

Nkhatha was however soon back in attack for Stars, but failed to guide a 75th minute heard on target.

It was the home side though who pushed hardest for a winner in the closing stages of normal time, but some resolute defending by Ea Lla Koto meant Ajax never had any clear cut chances.

Selolwane had the first chance of extra time, going marginally wide with a sweetly struck 30-yard effort.

Ajax continued to have the better of play in extra time, but hesitancy, or lack of a cutting edge from the likes of Stanton Lewis, Nathan Paulse and Mohammed Diallo saw the hosts failing to test Mweene.

Mweene then went on to become the hero of the penalty shoot-out as he saved from both Selowane and Paulse to ensure Ea Lla Koto’s place in the last eight.

Ajax Cape Town (1) (1) 1 (Shabalala 23’)
Free State Stars (1) (1) 1 (Nkhatha 41’)

Ajax (4-5-1): Vonk; Maluleka, Ivanovs, Daniels, Jenniker (Paulse 46’), Doutie (Diallo 105’), Shabalala, Selolwane, Ngobeni (Sibisi 91’), Serero; Lewis

Stars (4-5-1): Mweene; Taaibos, Nkosi, Costa Marinho, Cloete (Gcaba 91’); Makola, Masehe, Lechesa, Moholo (Lebyane 40’), Madimabe; Nkhatha