Jubilant 2,05m Mame Niang was walking extra tall at the Charles Mopeli Stadium in Qwa Qwa on Wednesday afternoon after scoring all four goals for Moroka Swallows in a 4-2 Premier Soccer League (PSL) win against Free State Stars.
The towering Senegalese striker saved the Birds from what could have been an ignominious defeat against a relegation-threatened team who played for much of the match with 10 men — and declared afterwards he was going home during the extended seven-week PSL break to savour the fruits of his notable success.
”I just hope he returns,” joked Swallows coach Gavin Hunt afterwards. ”Otherwise I’ll have to go to Senegal myself and bring him back at gunpoint.”
And well might Hunt have expressed an appreciation of his 21-year-old Senegalese capture after Swallows trailed 1-2 with only 15 minutes play remaining and defeat staring them in the face.
A characteristic, loping header from Niang opened the score for Swallows, but recent Zimbabwean international signing Wilfred ”The Silver Fox” Mugeyi shook the Birds to the core with two headed goals of his own for Stars as the struggling home team seemed set for a shock victory.
When a desperate Hunt elected to play with no more than two defenders for the second period after the teams finished level 1-1 at the interval, it seemed the Birds were set to undo all the good work achieved by their notable win against Orlando Pirates on Sunday — which had earned them a position as genuine PSL title contenders.
But Niang came to the rescue like a swooping spitfire when he recorded the fourth consecutive headed goal of the match in the 75th minute. He then demonstrated he had a nimble pair of feet as well by clinically deflecting the ball into the net in the 84th and 86th minutes to complete his goal spree.
And yet it could easily have been a completely different story had substitute Jimmy Zakazaka not squandered two glorious opportunities when he came on to the field in the 65th minute with Stars already leading 2-1 and another goal providing the impetus for a much-needed victory.
Cosmos defeat Stars
Jomo Cosmos beat a stubborn Silver Stars 2-1 in their final Castle Premier Soccer League match of the year at the Dobsonville Stadium in Gauteng on Wednesday afternoon.
All the goals came in the second half.
Cosmos coach Jomo Sono altered his game plan in the second half and began to attack from all angles. His search for a goal was finally rewarded when Stars’ back-liners committed a foul just outside the area. Referee Peter Mabuza awarded Cosmos a free kick and Ezenkosi midfielder Thabelo Tshilo’s strike easily beat Stars goalkeeper Wayne Sandilands.
Their jubilation was short-lived, however, and Stars equalised when former Supersport United midfielder Dale Studzinski got the ball past Cosmos goalkeeper Avril Phali with a low shot in the far right corner.
But Cosmos were not to be denied and striker Felix Katongo ensured the newly crowned Coca-Cola Cup champions would take a winning record into the recess by converting the winning goal six minutes before the final whistle.
No goals for Arrows, Celtic
Lamontville Golden Arrows shared the spoils with Bloemfontein Celtic when they played to a goalless draw in a Castle Premiership match at Kings Park Soccer Stadium on Wednesday afternoon.
Both side had their chances, but the strikers wasted their opportunities.
In the 52nd minute, Alton Meiring managed to find the back of the net but he was ruled offside.
Meiring took a good shot at Postnet Omony after receiving an excellent ball from Papi Zothwane, who had an exciting game. Besides creating this chance, Zothwane had a crucial role in the middle of the park for the home side.
The players who let Celtic down by not taking their opportunities were Collins Chabalala, Roston Kilambe and Jurry Merahe. Kilambe was later taken off for Kleinboy Taaibos.
Both teams started the second half positively but neither could get a score on the board. With a number of people on holiday, the match was played in front of a reasonable crowd. — Sapa