/ 8 February 2009

Swallows’ firepower too much for Chiefs

Moroka Swallows defeated arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 in a pulsating Soweto Absa Premiership derby played at Olympia Park on Saturday night.

It was at the same venue last October that the Birds sunk Amakhosi 2-0 in their first-round league encounter.

And it was the striker they nickname ”AK-47”, Sandile Ndlovu, who gunned down Chiefs with a goal in each half.

A 90th-minute goal from Chiefs’ best player, Kaizer Motaung Jnr, ensured a grandstand finish in the three frantic minutes of time added on.

It was the first time Swallows had done the league double over Chiefs since the start of the Premier Soccer League in 1996 and underlines the Birds’ potential as championship contenders. They have 29 point from 19 matches — a point behind fifth-placed Chiefs.

With leaders and defending champions SuperSport United losing 3-1 to struggling Thanda Royal Zulu at their Super Stadium home on Saturday, the league race is still wide open. United are on 37 points but have played a match more than both Chiefs and Swallows.

In other Absa Premiership matches played on Saturday, Wits kept their hopes of a finish in the top eight alive when they scored a hard-fought 1-0 win over Platinum Stars, while Mamelodi Sundowns rendered another clinical performance in beating Golden Arrows 1-0. — Sapa