Sundowns blown off by Ajax

CHAMPIONS Mamelodi Sundowns continued their tepid start to the new season as they were beaten 1-0 by Ajax Cape Town at a wet and windy Cape Town venue last night.

It means just a single point from their first two league games for the Brazilians, who were also bundled out of the MTN8 and have already felt the anger of their supports.

Ajax were tactically smarter than their guests, stifling them in the first half and then going ahead through Travis Graham six minutes into the second half.

Graham was handed the captain's' armband for the first time, with Nazeer Allie suspended, marking his return after a horror last season which had been curtailed by injury.

Graham's shot sizzled past Wayne Sandilands after a tap down from Nathan Paulse, who was among the home heroes in an aerial battle with Sundowns captain Alje Schut. It was a cracking effort worthy of winning any game.

Downs, mostly shackled by the high pressing game of Ajax, finally came into the game, ironically, after conceding the goal but then squandered several good chances.

The worst miss was right at the end of the game when substitute Themba Zwane ballooned over the top from close range.

Zwane's introduction had offered Sundowns hope as he started to make inroads but the final touch remained missing for them.

Efforts from Tebogo Langerman and Teko Modise also whistled wide.

Neither side conjured up a clear chance in the first half with the best from either side being angled efforts off the wing; Langerman's early shot tested Anssi Jaakkola in the Ajax goal and a shot from Tashreeq Morris at the other end forced a save out of Sandilands.