ANDREW MUCHINERIPI, Johannesburg | Saturday 5.00pm.
IT was a strange autumn afternoon at Rand Stadium, a few kilometres south of the Johannesburg CBD. Strange because Swallows defeated Sundowns and strange because they collected three precious points using a system alien to South Africa.
The Beautiful Birds went into their final Castle Premiership match of the season needing one point to be assured of avoiding relegation and took all three thanks to a clinical early second-half finish from Siza Nombe.
Sundowns went into the match needing three points to clinch a record third consecutive league title, but a tired, unimaginative display did not deserve any reward as they barely created a clearcut chance.
Behind Swallows success lies a tale of courage from little-known coach Zeca Marques, who opted for a 4-5-1 formation knowing that if his team conceded an early goal the gamble would backfire badly.
The man who ignores the traditional coach’s habit of chewing gum in favour of sucking lolipops also wieled the axe after a 5-1 drubbing at Bush Bucks and made seven changes with goalkeeper Jorge Fernandes among those dropped.
Swallows hardly needed recalled goalkeeper Wendell Robinson as their blanket defence comfortably dealt with the few challenges posed by a Sundowns team that can seal the title by winning at Santos on Wednesday night.
Nombe should be proud of his winner as he controlled a William Lerefolo cross with his chest before slamming a right-foot shot over John Tlale into the roof of the net with 51 minutes gone.
Sibusiso Mazibuko just failed to add a second from another Lerefolo pass and the nearest Sundowns came to salvaging a point was an Alain Amougou shot that beat Robinson and hit the side netting with a couple of minutes to go.