Swallows have beaten Kaizer Chiefs at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Monday to move into the top eight, while Amakhosi’s hopes of finishing in second place were all but ended.
Swallows have all but secured their stay in the DStv Premiership with their win in a Soweto Derby played in Polokwane on Workers Day.
First half goals from Gregory Damons and Bongani Sam were enough to see Swallows move to eighth place on the DStv Premiership log with 34 points with two matches to go. Chiefs remained in fourth spot with 44 points from the same number of games.
Chiefs started the game well, enjoying some possession but lost it in the seventh minute allowing Damons to score the opener. In the 18th minute the visitors won a corner and Itumeleng Khune was alert to block Kagiso Malinga’s header which would have made it 2-0 for Swallows. In the 23rd minute Swallows conceded a set-piece which Mduduzi Shabalala wiped to Christian Saile who tapped home to equalise.
With the match heating up the Dube birds kept pushing to regain their lead. Saile fouled Tshidiso Patjie outside the box and won a free-kick however Damons couldn’t ‘convert as the ball landed in Khune’s hands in the 25th minute.
Bongani Sam who was the change in Musa Nyatama’s starting line-up regained the lead in the 32nd minute.
Amakhosi scrambled to get an equaliser before the break almost forcing Keegan Allan into an own goal and having Siyabonga Ngezana’s effort denied by Daniel Akpeyi. There was a late effort in the first half from Reeve Frosler but it was not threatening.
In the second half Saile had a chance to get Amakhosi back into the game but the tame short was handled by the Nigeria born goalkeeper. Akpeyi was again instrumental in the 51st minute as he denied Njabulo Ngcobo’s close header.
Chiefs continued to search for an equaliser with Saile enjoying a solo run but the ball was whisked away by Kwanda Mngonyama three minutes later. That earned the home side another corner which Akpeyi dealt with. Mdu Shabalala also had a shot from range but it wasn’t lethal enough landing in the keeper’s hands.
Akpeyi made a late save to deny Ashley Du Preez a ruler with his weaker foot to secure the three points for his side.
There was a late injury scare for Keagan Allan after he got an elbow to the chin and was on the floor, with two ambulances and medical equipment being rushed onto the pitch before he walked off.
Kaizer Chiefs had made one change from their starting line-up, a forced one in the goalkeeping department with Itumeleng Khune coming in for Brandon Petersen. Swallows also made one change with Bongani Sam starting ahead of Waseem Isaacs.
