Meshack Motloung

Meshack Motloung

Ajax Cape Town will have to come up with a completely different style of play if they entertain the idea of defeating Orlando Pirates in a Castle Premiership game in Kimberley this afternoon.

Pirates coach Milutin Sredojevic, who is in a bit of a rut, said he knows the Ajax players well.

"They are a bunch of talented players with a highly experienced coach in Muhsin Ertugral," he said.

"Their strike-force is dangerous and they have a point to prove after their defeat in the Telkom Knockout [final]."

Sredojevic said the Urban Warriors showed how good they were when they beat the star-studded Mamelodi Sundowns in cup and league games away recently.

He said Pirates will have to closely monitor Ajax's Nathan Paulse and Thembinkosi Fanteni because they are powerful players who are dangerous when in possession.

Pirates will be without six of their key players. Lebohang Mokoena and Isaac Chansa are suspended and Tonic Tshabalala, Onyekachi Okonkwo, Jabu Mahlangu and Lucas Thwala are injured.

But they can still turn to the likes of Benedict Vilakazi, Gift Leremi, Fikru Tefera, Paulus Masehe and Excellent Walaza.

Ajax coach Ertugral, whose side arrived in Kimberley on Monday, two days before the game, said they were acclimatising to the hot conditions.

"I'm very happy and relaxed because Jabu will not be playing and that will minimise some tricky ideas for them," he said.

Players who are bound to do the job for Ajax are Russell Mwafulira upfront, Frank Carelse in the midfield, Bageta Dikulu in defence and Hans Vonk in the last line of defence.

This will be their second meeting at this venue. They played to a goalless draw in their first meeting last season.