second-half brace from Prince Nxumalo helped Ajax Cape Town to a come-from-behind 3-1 win over Maritzburg United in an Absa Premiership encounter at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday evening.
The Team of Choice went into the break 1-0 up thanks to Thamsanqa Teyise, but the Urban Warriors rallied through Nxumalo, who netted a double before Nathan Paulse made sure of the result in the 90th minute.
Ajax suffered a blow in pre-match warm-up, with Aidan Jenniker forced out of the game due to injury - Milton Ncube took his place in the starting XI.
Moreover, Maritzburg were boosted by the inclusion of Zimbabwean striker Evans Rusike, who received his work permit earlier this week.
The game got off to a slow start, but it would be the visitors who opened the scoring through Teyise.
The burly centre-back latched onto namesake Thamsanqa Mkhize's corner kick, directing a powerful header past Anssi Jaakkola with 21 minutes on the clock.
Maritzburg threatened to double their lead, with only brilliant last-ditch defending by Abbubaker Mobara denying them a second on the cusp of halftime. Mohammed Anas beat Jaakkola, but not the young defender, who cleared from danger.
Ajax looked a different team after the break and finally levelled matters through Nxumalo in the 69th minute - the lanky forward finding the back of the net following a mad scramble in the box.
Both teams were having difficulties defending corner kicks and it would be from a set-piece that Ajax pulled in front on 82 minutes - Nxumalo on the double.
Paulse made sure Ajax held on for their first win of the league season, nodding past Virgil Vries in the final minute of regulation time.
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