Moroka Swallows turned in one of their best displays for years to beat their old enemy Kaizer Chiefs 2-0 in an Absa Premiership Soweto derby played at a sweltering Olympia Park here on Sunday.
Birds have now beaten Chiefs twice at Olympia Park this season. They defeated Amakhosi 1-0 in an MTN 8 semifinal second-leg tie, but lost 2-1 on aggregate.
It was a vintage performance from former Amakhosi star striker David Radebe that put the Birds on to the victory trail. Radebe, who left Chiefs to join BidVest Wits at the start of last season, appears to have found a new lease of life since joining Swallows in the off-season.
Radebe tore the Chiefs’ defence to shreds in the first half and was able to capitalise on some shaky goalkeeping from Itumeleng Khune.
But the hero of the day was Birds striker Phumelele Bhengu, whose two first-half goals sunk Amakhosi.
Bhengu almost scored in the 15th minute but a tremendous challenge from defender Onismor Bhasera forced the striker’s shot for a corner.
Two minutes later Radebe teased his former teammates by latching on to a long ball and hitting the post.
The opening goal was scored in the 22nd minute and it came as no surprise after the Birds had Chiefs under a lot of pressure. The Chiefs defence cracked when Cecil Oerson and Radebe combined to set up Bhengu, who slotted home from close range.
Chiefs squandered a great chance to equalise two minutes later when Swallows’s keeper Greg Etafia failed to hold a stinging drive from midfielder Tinashe Nengomasha. Teammate Jose Torrealba scooped up the rebound, but this time Etafia made a brilliant close-range save.
Khune was tested again in the 29th minute this time from a curling corner from James Mayinga which was heading for the far corner of the net. Khune did well to tip the ball over his crossbar.
Khune, who is also the Bafana Bafana’s first choice keeper, fumbled Oerson’s long-range free kick in the 32nd minute. Radebe flicked the ball to Bhengu who did the rest by putting Swallows 2-0 ahead.
Swallows skipper Lefa Tsutsulupa hit the Chiefs’s upright in the 51st minute as the home side went for the kill early in the second half.
But, three minutes later, Swallows had a scare when their Brazilian defender Vinicius da Silva, trying to clear George Lebese’s cross, headed against his crossbar.
Lebese then fluffed a great chance when, with the goal at his mercy in the 56th minute, he ballooned his shot over the crossbar.
Two minutes later, Chiefs substitute Gert Schalkwyk forced Etafia to make a superb save at the expense of a corner from his goal-bound 20-metre rocket.
Khune produced a timely save in the 64th minute to deny Bhengu his hat-trick after the Birds’ striker was again set up by the Radebe.
Chiefs tried hard to get back into the game but the energy-sapping heat did not help their cause. Chiefs’ substitute Mandla Masango thought he had reduced the deficit but his shot was somehow cleared for a corner in the 68th minute.
Etafia did well to smother Siphiwe Tshabalala’s shot at the near post in the 71st minute.
It was not Chiefs’ day when miraculously, Etafia managed to stop another close-range bullet by Schalkwyk. – Sapa