Had Ajax Cape Town faced Maritzburg United last week, they could have been a different team with a different mindset.

As powerful as Ajax have been at home, they have been equally flat on the road. A cunning coach like Steve Komphela is sly enough not to let that kind of advantage slip as they face Roger De Sa's side at the Harry Gwala Stadium tonight (7.30).

Ajax's last road trip was a 1-0 defeat away to the struggling Free State Stars, while United surprised all and sundry with a hard-earned and deserved 1-0 win against Bloemfontein Celtic.

This is an Ajax side that comes off a stirring 2-1 win from behind against SuperSport United in Saturday's Nedbank Cup semifinal, but Komphela is not too worried by what the Urban Warriors have done this season.

Komphela's side is on the brink of a first top-eight finish and the coach hopes his side can sustain the momentum that was slightly broken by the cup weekend.

"This time of the season has nothing to do with physical components as most players are fit enough. It is all mental," Komphela said.

"It is about who wants it the most, so it is very important for us to stay strong mentally and look at what we want to achieve and keep pushing towards that.

The players want to be the generation of players who have taken Maritzburg to the top eight, and that is possible. It is still our objective," Komphela said.

Despite their inability to string more than two consecutive wins together, the Team of Choice's defensive consistency and ability to grind out draws sees them sitting in eighth place with 33 points.