A brace from Geoffrey Massa helped end the University of Pretoria’s winless run of six games as they beat Ajax Cape Town 3-0 in an Absa Premiership encounter at Tuks Stadium on Wednesday evening.

Thabo Mnyamane scored the hosts’ other goal on the night as they recorded their first home victory of the campaign.

AmaTuks head coach Steve Barker made a solitary change to the side that suffered a 2-1 loss to Bloemfontein Celtic last time out, with Grant Kekana returning to the starting XI ahead of Junior Sibande, who dropped out the match day squad.

Thabo Mnyamane continued to partner Massa in attack, while Atusaye Nyondo was named on the bench.

Roger de Sa, meanwhile, made two changes to the side that beat Platinum Stars, with Abbubaker Mobara and Bantu Mzwakali returning to the starting XI for the visitors.

AmaTuks started the game the brighter of the two sides and were rewarded through a Massa strike in the 11th minute.

Ajax failed to clear their lines from a corner-kick and were punished as Massa hit home from close range to net his third goal of the season.

Khethukuthula Zwane came within inches from netting an Olympic goal (scoring straight from a corner-kick) before Mnyamane doubled the hosts’ lead in the 19th minute.

Massa set-up the former North-West University striker, who beat Anssi Jaakkola with a sweet left-footed finish from just outside the area.

The hosts continued to look the more dangerous of the two sides, showcasing the sort of swagger that helped them to a 5-1 win over the same opponents two years ago.

Ajax struggled to cope with the pace of Tuks’ wide men, while their danger man Keagan Dolly was effectively closed down by the home side.

At the break it looked as if Tuks would finally register their first home win of the season.

De Sa introduced Milton Ncube and Clifford Mulenga after the break as he looked to swing things in his side’s favour.

Dolly went close to pulling a goal back for the visitors, who offered more in attack after the break, his volley effort in the 55th minute brilliantly blocked by an opposition defender.

Tuks still continued to look menacing in attack and Mnyamane should’ve taken at least one of two chances created by Massa around the hour mark, but on both occasions he failed to hit the target.

The Urban Warriors had only themselves to blame for not opening their account on the night in the 72nd minute with first Travis Graham and then Dolly squandering golden opportunities.

Graham first smashed his effort from inside the area straight at Washington Arubi before Dolly put the rebound wide of goal.

The game continued to ebb and flow, with Barker instructing his troops to hit on the counter as the game entered its final stretch.

Massa completed his brace in the 89th minute with a superb finish. Jaakkola miscued clearance fell favourably for the burly marksman who turned and chipped the stranded gloves man.

University of Pretoria (2) 3 (Massa 11’ 89’ Mnyamane 19’)

Ajax Cape Town 0

Teams:

University of Pretoria: Arubi; Kekana, Monyai, Jaure, Nkwana, Ngubane, Mosadi (Maruping 83’), Ketjijere, Zwane, Mnyamane (Mathosi 90+1’), Massa (Nyondo 90’)

Ajax Cape Town: Jaakkola; Allie, Mobara, Coetzee, Lebusa (Ncube 46’), Graham, Morris (Mulenga 46’), Scott, Paulse, Mzwakali (Lolo 65’), Dolly