Smaller PSL clubs steal limelight
Maritzburg United and Cape Town City overshadowed more successful and popular clubs Wednesday by sharing the South African Premiership lead after two rounds.
Playing at home, United defeated Ajax Cape Town 2-0 and City overcame Platinum Stars 3-1 to boast the only 100 percent records in the 16-team championship.
Among the traditional crowd pullers and trophy winners, Orlando Pirates lie third, Mamelodi Sundowns fifth and Kaizer Chiefs 12th, and defending champions Wits are 14th.
Zimbabwean Evans Rusike was the toast of Maritzburg, scoring in each half at Harry Gwala Stadium in KwaZulu-Natal capital Pietermaritzburg.
After understudying a number of coaches, local Fadlu Davids was promoted to the top position for this season.
Apart from two Premiership victories, United shocked CAF Champions League title-holders Sundowns in the opening round of a season-opening knockout competition.
Cape Town are coached by Benni McCarthy, part of the Jose Mourinho-managed Porto team that defeated Monaco 3-0 in the 2004 UEFA Champions League final.
He also played for Ajax Amsterdam, Celta Vigo, Blackburn Rovers and West Ham United, and scored a record 32 goals for South Africa.
Letsie Koapeng put City on the road to success by converting a first-half penalty and they were three goals ahead before Malawian Robert Ng'ambi got a consolation goal.
Many pundits have predicted Stars handler and former England top-flight footballer Peter Butler will be the first coaching casualty of the season.
Platinum anchor the table without a point and the ex-West Bromwich Albion and West Ham midfielder who once said South African football was "overrated" must be concerned.
Following two trophy-less seasons, a Chiefs team that woos 90,000 crowds when they meet Pirates have started poorly with two losses from three league and cup outings.
They had South Africa centre-back Eric Mathoho red-carded for a professional foul after only seven minutes in Soweto and trailed SuperSport United by two goals at half-time.
But the handicapped hosts halved the deficit midway through the second half via Venezuelan Gustavo Paez and had chances to level before finishing 2-1 losers.
Defender Reeve Frosler put Wits ahead with a late goal at Free State Stars only to concede a penalty which Siphelele Mthembu converted to salvage a 2-2 draw in Bethlehem.
An own goal from new goalkeeper, Ivorian Badra Ali Sangare, gave the champions an early lead at a ground where they often battle and Relebogile Makhouane equalised before half-time.