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birds fly away

20090913AMU/SPORTS/SOCCER. Phaladi Kobola of Moroka Swallows fights for the ball with Graham King on their PSL/ABSA match at Dobsonville stadium , Soweto. PHOTO: ANTONIO MUCHAVE
20090913AMU/SPORTS/SOCCER. Phaladi Kobola of Moroka Swallows fights for the ball with Graham King on their PSL/ABSA match at Dobsonville stadium , Soweto. PHOTO: ANTONIO MUCHAVE

MOROKA Swallows achieved what their more illustrious homeboys Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates failed to attain over the weekend by winning their Absa Premiership match yesterday.

MOROKA Swallows achieved what their more illustrious homeboys Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates failed to attain over the weekend by winning their Absa Premiership match yesterday.

They pipped beat Santos 1-0 at Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto.

The People's Team, as Santos are known, must have gone into the game confident of getting a good result over The Birds having beaten the expensively-assembled Mamelodi Sundowns a fortnight ago.

In all fairness, the match was not entertaining but Swallows, under the tutelage of German coach Rainer Zobel, will be pleased with the three points.

Swallows were the deserving winners and could have taken the lead on the 14th minute when Sibusiso Khumalo cut in from the left flank, but his lame shot went wide.

Then on the 25th minute, Collins Mbesuma's low cross found an incoming Siyabonga Nomvete, but his effort went over the bar from close range.

Swallows were in full control of the game and on the 27th minute Davi Rancan's goal-bound shot was cleared for a corner and from the resultant corner, Nomvete's free header went over the bar.

On the stroke of half-time, Nomvethe again missed a heavenly opportunity after a brilliant pass from Mbesuma found the former Bafana Bafana attacker in a good position. Instead of picking his spot and place the ball behind the net, he ballooned his shot over the bar.

Santos gave Swallows a scare on the 81st minute when substitute Phikolethu Spelman's free header from a Tyren Arendse cross hit the cross bar, with Greg Etafia well beaten.

Santos were made to rue that missed chance when Swallows, with five minutes remaining, scored the all-important goal.

Khumalo let rip with his left foot from the edge box, his shot beating the outstretched goalie Tshepo Motsoeneng to ensure that the Beautiful Birds fly away with three points.

Meanwhile, Thami Nqolobe reports that Ajax Cape Town and Bidvest Wits drew 1-1 in a rain-soaked match at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town yesterday.

Kadi put Wits ahead in the 64th minute after converting a pass from Sibusiso Vilakazi.

But the hosts levelled matters when Franklin Cale scored after receiving a cross from late substitute Mohammed Diallo four minutes from time.

Ajax win saw Kaizer Chiefs move to the foot of the table and this should disappoint the side's myriad supporters.

Bloemfontein Celtic fought back gallantly to maintain their unbeaten record when they drew 1-all against struggling AmaZulu in an Absa Premiership match at Seisa Ramabodu Stadium in another match yesterday, writes Thabo Johnson.

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