ABSA Premiership

 

Result: Swallows 3-2 Pirates

 

Date: 26 February 2013

 

Venue: Dobsonville Stadium

 

Moroka Swallows bounced back from two goals down to complete a league double over Orlando Pirates after claiming a thrilling 3-2 win at Dobsonville Stadium on Tuesday night.

 

The Sea Robbers got off to a blistering start and just 58 seconds in Sifiso Myeni was slipped in perfectly by Takesure Chinyama and he produced a clinical finish past Greg Etafia.

 

Daine Klate then forced the goalkeeper to tip his downward volley wide before the winger lashed a wild finish well wide after cutting inside.

 

Chinyama followed with a similar effort in the 10th minute before some rough tackles came flying in from both sides.

 

Klate and Thulasizwe both needed a little treatment on the sidelines but continued, while Katlego Mashego missed a great chance to equalise after being found by the lively Siyabonga Nomvethe only for the ball got stuck in his feet and it was eventually cleared.

 

The referee was forced to dish out yellow cards to calm the game down as the tackles continued but he got a bit card-crazy after showing Larry Cohen a caution for a superb tackle on Myeni. He then allowed a tough tackle on Klate to go unpunished later on.

 

Myeni should have played Chinyama in for a goal in the 34th minute but took too long to make the pass. The visitors would get their second soon after though as Roger da Costa was punished for a handball in the area, though the ball hit his trailing arm which was close to his side.

 

Andile Jali took responsibility and calmly sent Etafia the wrong way from the spot to make it 2-0.

 

Swallows had struggled for chances throughout but finished brilliantly when Dikgang Mabalane was played in on the flank and he cut the ball back for Mashego who calmly side-footed it into the bottom corner.

 

Oupa Manyisa should have added a third for Pirates three minutes into the second period but he failed to produce a decent touch when he had time and space to pick a finish.

 

Meanwhile, the Dube Birds had carried their momentum into the half and after a solid start they would grab the equaliser on the hour mark. Lerato Chabangu’s stunning strike came back off the woodwork and Lefa Tsutsulupa was on hand to dive a header over the line.

 

The turnaround was then completed in the 67th minute when Chabangu flicked on a free-kick and Senzo Meyiwa was unable to get enough on the ball to keep it out.

 

Pirates pushed hard for an equaliser in the remaining minutes, while Swallows looked dangerous on some of their counter-attacks, but the Birds saw out the remainder of the game to complete a double over Pirates.

 

The result sees Pirates fail to regain top spot as they remain two points behind Kaizer Chiefs.

 

Swallows: Greg Etafia Roger da Costa, Shere Lekgothoane, Gilbert Mapemba, Larry Cohen, Sibusiso Khumalo, Lefa Tsutsulupa, Dikgang Mabalane, Katlego Mashego, Lerato Chabangu, Siyabonga Nomvethe.

 

Pirates: Senzo Meyiwa, Lucky Lekgwathi, Thabo Matlaba, Happy Jele, Ayanda Gcaba, Oupa Manyisa, Andile Jali, Sifiso Myeni, Daine Klate, Thulasizwe Mbuyane, Takesure Chinyama.

For more details go to http://www.soccerladuma.com