Moroka Swallows improved their prospects of gaining the Premier Soccer League’s runners-up position and qualification for next year’s CAF Champions League after outplaying a strangely listless Bloemfontein Celtic at the Seisa Ramabodu Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Not even the vocal support of their enthusiastic, toyi-toying supporters in a 16 000-strong crowd could motivate Celtic to perform with their usual sparkle and fervour. The 3-1 defeat provided the Birds with the unusual and commendable achievement of toppling the Bloemfontein side for the second successive year on their home territory.
All the goals were scored in the second half after a drab, fairly even opening period — with a methodical Swallows taking a firm grip on the proceedings after half-time to lead 3-0 until Celtic scored a consolation goal in the 90th minute.
The revitalised Birds stamped their authority a minute after the interval when Henrico Botes headed home the rebound after a sizzling shot from Sibusiso Dlamani had thundered against the crossbar.
And such was the Birds’ dominance that the issue seemed cut and dried in their favour as early as the 66th minute when Celtic defender Timothy Batabaire headed the ball into his own net for an ”own goal”.
Cecil Oerson, who was one of the dominant players on the pitch against his former club, completed Swallows’ scoring with a well-placed ground shot in the 88th minute, before Batabaire made some amends for his earlier indiscretion by scoring Celtic’s solitary goal with a header — again following a corner.
Swallows, in the process, might have had six or seven goals but for a succession of fearless saves from Celtic goalkeeper Shuaib Walters — with George Hummel, Bevan Fransman and Lovers Mohlala placing a stranglehold on the timid Celtic strikers for 90 minutes.
Then, ironically, after Celtic belatedly opened their account on the stroke of 90 minutes, the Birds’ defence faltered for a second time within a minute and Moses Spandeel squandered a golden opportunity of making the score 3-2.
”Still, it’s not bad for a team who were written off early in the season as possible relegation candidates,” said Swallows coach Gavin Hunt. ”We’ve gone from strength to strength and with three of our remaining four games at home, we stand a good chance of outpacing the pack of eight teams who are vying for second spot in the log behind Sundowns.” — Sapa