Last year’s League runners-up Ajax Cape Town find themselves fighting for a top-eight position ahead of their match against Kaizer Chiefs this evening. 

Urban Warriors’ coach Maarten Stekelenburg admits the team is in a difficult situation, saying they put themselves there by losing games they should have won.

“We made it difficult for ourselves, losing the games against Bloemfontein Celtic, and now they are four points clear from us,” he says.

At the beginning of the season Ajax set themselves the target of challenging for the title, but a string of poor results and the suspension of many key players mean they have failed to come close to the form they produced last season. 

Stekelenburg admits that with the system they have in place at Ikamva it is important for Ajax to be competing for the League each season.

“At the beginning of the season we set out to challenge for the title and a couple of weeks ago we spoke about a top four finish, and now looks like we have to fight for a top eight position.

“That of course is disappointing; this is not the campaign we planned and hoped for. Tonight we are playing a team with the same story as us, they didn’t have the campaign they planned and hoped for as well,” the coach says.

Ajax have three matches left to play, and Stekelenburg is hoping to get at least six points.

“I think we need to get six points from our three games to finish in the top eight. We need to come home with the results if we are to make the top eight, it’s important for us as a team.”

The team will welcome back Khama Billiat, who was serving a red card suspension, while Granwald Scott and Nazeer Allie are still in doubt.

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