Santos (0) 1
(after extra time. Edries Burton 119th min)
Ajax Cape Town 0
Santos are through to the semifinals of the Coca-Cola Cup where they meet Kaizer Chiefs in Rustenburg on Sunday.
They eliminated Ajax in a late-night quarterfinal at Green Point Stadium in which Calvin Marlin, the losers' goalkeeper, saved his team from an even bigger defeat.
The 'keeper must surely now book a place with the Bafana team to next year's African Cup of Nations in Mali and even the World Cup which follows. Marlin was man of the match, winning a trophy and R5 000.
The game kicked off at 9pm because of the Muslim holy night and was played under a looming blue moon. It was attended by 5 000 fans, who might not have had goals to entertain them (until close to midnight) but there was enough action, from heart-pumping goalmouth incidents, to fast action and plenty of skill.
Knowing the pace at which Ajax play, it was expected that Santos would slow down the pace to suit them, but Gordon Igesund's team refused, and matched their opponents with a cracking pace.
The goal came from a corner kick by Santos substitute Thando Mngomeni, who found midfielder Sebastien Bax. Bax headed on; Santos' captain Edries Burton and teammate Jean Marc Ithier went up, with Burton credited with the goal, although a television replay showed the ball bouncing off Ithier's back and across the goalline.
"At this stage we don't care who scored as long as we scored," said Santos assistant coach Boebie Solomons.
Vincent Sokhela was the master in the Santos midfield. He tested Marlin with a few stingers, and combined well with Mxolisi Mchunu, Thokozani Xaba and Teboho Tsiu.
The Santos defence, marshalled by Burton and assisted by John Mbidzo and Aldrid Miller, made life easier for their goalkeeper Andre Arendse. They snuffed out the Ajax front-runners.
The usually dangerous crosses from the Ajax wings were not so effective this time. Even the darting runs of Ajax striker Rowan Hendricks was subdued.
Teams:
Ajax Cape Town:
Calvin Marlin, Edelbert Dinha, Duran Francis, Ashley Opperman, Brett Evans, Shaun Potgieter (Jeremy Jansen 74th). Geert Brusselers (Brent Carelse 69th), David Kannemeyer, Rowan Hendricks, Dillon Sheppard, Duncan Lechesa
Santos:
Andre Arendse, Edries Burton, Aldrid Miller, Vincent Sokhela, John Mbidzo, Tyren Arendse ( David Mabeta 77th), Mxolisi Mchunu, Thokozani Xaba (Thando Mngomeni 58th), Jean-Marc Ithier, Teboho Tsiu, Ricardo Minnetti (Sebastien Bax 98th)