Thabiso Nkoana came off the bench to score a last minute equaliser as Ajax Cape Town left Port Elizabeth with a point as Chippa United and their old Cape Town neighbours drew 1-1 in the Absa Premiership on Friday night.

Another substitute, Mxolisi Ntshingila, had put the ‘Chilli Boyz’ ahead after 81 minutes, but Nkoana’s goal helped keep Ajax’s bright start to the season in tact.

The match started slowly with very little goal mouth action in the opening minutes and it took until the 20th minute of the match for the first real save to be made.

The shot came in by former Ajax player Thami Sangweni, but the visiting team’s star goalkeeper, Anssi Jaakkola, had no trouble making the save.

Then in the 25th minute, Sangweni saw his direct free kick hit the bar. And eight minutes later he goes wide of goal with another attempt, a clear indication that Sangweni wants to prove something to the team that let him go after just a short stint in Cape Town.

There was not much to get excited about in the first half at all. Chippa came closest to scoring through Sangweni on a couple of occasions, ut other than that the game lacked creative flair and clear-cut scoring chances.

Four minutes into the second half, Chippa striker Andile Mbenyane got a shot in on goal, but Anssi Jaakkola dived to make the save, which resulted in a corner and the big ‘keeper took care of the corner kick too.

In the 56th minute Ajax finally began to look threatening in front of goal as midfielder Keagan Dolly got a shot in at goal, but it went just wide and moments later, Travis Graham forced a save out of Fatau Dauda.

New Bafana Bafana striker David Zulu found his shooting boots for the first time in the game after 65 minutes but his attempt did not trouble Jaakkola and ten minutes later Sangweni tried once more to break the deadlock but could not beat the keeper.

Mxolisi Ntshingila replaced Andile Mbenyane late in the game and within two minutes of being on the field he netted the opening goal, but Ajax found the equaliser in the 90th minute through new signing Thabiso Nkoana.

Chippa United (0) 1 (Ntshingila 81’)
Ajax Cape Town 0 1 (Nkoana 90’)

Teams

Chippa: Dauda; Sambu, Komane (Sali 72’), S Zulu, Mvelase; Nene, Sangweni, Cele (Sibeko 89’), Thwala; Mbenyane (Ntshingila 79’), D Zulu

Ajax: Jaakkola; Allie, Coetzee, Mobara, Lebusa; Graham, Scott, Morris (Cale 72’), Dolly (Mulenga 83’); Paulse, Ngalande (Nkoana 54’)