Gangling, 2m-tall Senegalese striker Mame Niang emerged a gallant hero and a cynically constructed victim in Moroka Swallows’ needlessly tough 2-1 Premier Soccer League win over Black Leopards at Orlando Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Although Leopards opened the score with a dazzling 25m goal from Peter Mponda in the 10th minute, Niang’s aerial ascendancy had the Limpopo club’s defence at sixes and sevens and finally produced the 41st-minute equaliser.
After curbing Niang’s heading prowess with several fearless interceptions, Leopards goalkeeper Guy Mutshu fumbled the ball under threat from the foraging Senegalese striker and Cecil Oerson was on hand to tap the ball into the net from close range.
Then, in the 56th minute, Niang burst through a packed goalmouth of defenders to blast the winning goal into the net with a powerful shot.
But instead of being carried off in triumph, Niang was helped off the pitch on the back of Swallows substitute Mark McVeigh after being cruelly hacked by Leopards defender Dan Semake in the 80th minute — and bravely limping through the final period of play because Swallows had made their mandatory three substitutions.
Semake brought down Niang from behind with a cynical tackle, then for good measure stamped on his leg and should have been red-carded and booted out of soccer for a lengthy period for his ugly brace of infringement.
Instead, referee Peter Mabuza took no action and it is Niang who now looks likely to be sidelined for some time with a serious injury.
Mabuza further embarrassed himself by not awarding Swallows a penalty five minutes later when Tsweu Mokoro was blatantly brought down in the penalty area.
A 3 000-strong crowd of mainly Swallows supporters watched their dominant team waste chances with gay abandon — with only Niang threatening danger with any degree of regularity and hitting the post twice apart from his goal.
Then, in the final 10 minutes, the Birds almost surrendered a much-needed win that takes them to fourth position in the log as they cautiously protected their lead and almost let the somewhat tame Leopards off the hook. — Sapa