Ajax Cape Town vs Maritzburg United | Friday 06 December | Cape Town Stadium | 20:00
To Win (90mins)
Ajax 1/1
Draw 22/10
Maritzburg 3/1
Sitting in 11th and 12th respectively, both teams have found themselves nestled next to each other this season, despite their form lines heading in completely opposite directions.
The home side took an age to show their worth this season, notching up just two points in their opening five games, as well as a cup defeat.
No matter the caliber of opponent, it seemed they had absolutely nothing to offer, and looked set for a relegation battle that they only just survived last season.
In their last six games however, Ajax have notched up three wins and two draws, with just the one loss to Swallows two weeks back.
Despite Muhsin Ertugral’s lack of talent in his squad, Lebogang Manyama has caught the eye of Kaizer Chiefs, and should they decide they want him, he’ll most certainly be making the move up North.
Ajax will want to keep their top scorer, or at least reap as many points as possible before he leaves.
Maritzburg United started out well enough, and I was pleased to see how their fight in the big games has continued from last season.
They’ve earned valuable away points against Celtic and Swallows, with the highlight so far being a 2-0 away win against an AmaZulu side that started this season like a house on fire.
Their issue lies in their inability to close off games where they’re either ahead, or heading for a deserved draw.
Their lack of an out-and-out striker means they’re not scoring enough, and there’s only so much pressure their defence can withstand.
Their Ghanaian import, Yakubu, hasn’t done much to assist and they’ll need to bolster their strike force come the next transfer window.
Having said all this, the Team Of Choice plays a lot more passionate a game than Ajax does, and a solid team effort can be the trump card for an underdog side to win on any given day.
Betting Prediction: MARITZBURG UTD 3/1
Head-to-head, Maritzburg have never won this fixture and Clinton Larsson will need to urge his troops to change this run of theirs in Cape Town. This trend shows in the odds on offer, with bookies offering a massive 3/1 on an away win. I can’t understand this, considering the close nature of PSL. With odds like that, you’d think Chiefs were playing a blind school in front of a packed Soccer City. Ajax are at evens for the win, and the draw at 22/10, but for me those odds seem too tempting to pass up. Ajax are far from a convincing outfit, and yes they beat Chiefs at home, but that doesn’t make them invincible. At 3/1, I’m happy to play the devil’s advocate.
Written by The Caretaker Coach for @Hollywoodbets. Follow them both on Twitter and Facebook now!
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