Hans Vonk looked to be Ajax Cape Town’s saviour as he made numerous saves for his team during their 2-1 loss to Kaizer Chiefs in an Absa Premiership match played at Loftus Stadium in Tshwane on Wednesday evening.

The veteran shot stopper was named Man of the Match for keeping Chiefs at bay until second half injury time when Josta Dladla headed Wayne Matle’s layup past Vonk to hand Chiefs the points.

It was nothing less than the home team, who were the dominant force in the match, deserved. It was them who took the lead through Thabang Rooi inside the opening ten minutes. Ajax managed to level the scores three minutes before half time through Diyo Sibisi.

The win was Chiefs’ first in their new 40th Anniversary strip and their fourth in their last five league outings. With SuperSport United losing on Wednesday, Chiefs will feel they are very much in the championship race.

Chiefs played a quick free kick in the eighth minute which caught Ajax off guard. David Mathebula was sent free down the left. He cut the ball across goal to the far end where Thabang Rooi was on hand to slide the ball home past a stranded Hans Vonk, who could have prevented the goal had he attacked the ball before it got to Rooi.

Chiefs could have extended their lead in the 22nd minute. Zhaimu Jambo played a marvelously floated ball over the Ajax defence to set up Siphiwe Tshabalala, who managed to defy the Ajax off side trap en route to goal. In a one-on-one situation Ajax keeper Hans Vonk came out tops as he blocked Tshabalala’s shot at goal.

As the loose ball bobbled around, Ajax defender Derek Decamps managed to block Nhleko’s powerful shot goal wards. Tshabalala, instead of going for goal himself, should have played the ball to his team mate Josta Dladla who was lurking unmarked to his right.

Soon afterwards Chiefs were on the attack again; on this occasion Hans Vonk was forced into tipping Nale’s drive at goal round for a corner kick.

Chiefs continued in their search for a second goal and Vonk was forced into two saves from Nhleko in 35th minute. Four minutes later he got a hand to the Chiefs striker’s close range shot at goal. His defence failed to clear the danger and Nale came sliding in but his effort was deflected onto the Ajax cross bar.

In the final three minutes of the first half Ajax silenced the home fans as they got an unlikely equaliser. George Maluleka swung the ball perfectly for Nathan Paulse, who rose up and headed the ball downwards, which had Khune scampering to block it. His blocked effort fell to Diyo Sibisi who was able to side foot the ball home from inside the Chiefs six-yard area.

After the restart Jimmy Tau played the ball down the right touchline to Nale, who in turn played the ball to Mathebula who was stationed just inside the Ajax 18 yard area. The Chiefs number 24’s shot had no direction and he ballooned the ball high over goal on 51 minutes.

Vonk was Ajax’s saviour in the second half and was at his best again when Mandla Masango tested him with a shot on the turn from the edge of the Ajax penalty area in the 72nd minute, which saw the wily old keeper dive backwards to push it out for a corner.

Then in the 75th minute he again came up trumps: first up he made a full length dive to get a hand to Dladla’s driven shot at goal from around nine yards, and then on the follow-up he got to his feet quickly to block Nale’s blast towards goal.

With Chiefs fans streaming out of the Loftus Stadium, the Amakhosi gave them reason to come streaming back in as they scored an injury time winner. Ajax were unable to clear a Chiefs corner and the ball eventually came to Wayne Matle, whose floated cross was headed past Vonk by Dladla, much to the relief of the Chiefs players who were frustrated by the Ajax keeper who made a number of telling saves throughout the second half.

Chiefs (4-4-2): Khune, Tau, Sweswe, Rooi (Matle 46’), Jambo; Dladla, Nengomasha, Mathebula, Tshabalala (Masango 60’); Nale, Nhleko (Torrealba 80’)

Ajax (4-4-2): Vonk, Allie, Decamps, Ivanovs, Daniels; Ngobeni, Maluleka (Selolwane 80’), Shabalala, Scott (Serero 70’); Paulse, Sibisi.