'Goal difference will be vital for bottom teams'

Swallows caretaker coach Musa Nyatama foresees goal difference playing a huge role in separating relegation-threatened teams at the end of the season.

Swallows managed a crucial point when they held champions Mamelodi Sundowns to a goalless stalemate at Dobsonville Stadium on Sunday. The clean sheet left Nyatama encouraged, saying the goal difference will prove vital for bottom-placed teams at the end of the campaign. The Birds are now two points above the relegation zone.

"We didn't want to concede today [Sunday] and, as you can see down there [in the drop zone], goal difference is very important, so it will come down to goal difference at the end of the season,'' Nyatama said.

Nyatama also admitted that their plan was always to sit back and absorb pressure from the Brazilians as they were playing for a draw. "We were playing against the champions, we didn't need to open up the game that much, and it's a huge point for us that will go a long way," added the Swallows interim mentor.

Nyatama also hailed the influence of goalkeeper Daniel Akpeyi, who had to wait until Fifa lifted the transfer ban on Swallows to register him in February. Akpeyi, who was at some point Nigeria's No1, has now kept two clean sheets in a row for Swallows.

"Daniel is experienced... he's played in the World Cup [in fact he remained an unused substitute in all three of Nigeria's games at the 2018 World Cup in Russia], he played in the Afcon [he boasts five Afcon appearances], so we needed that experience at the back. We needed someone who'd guide the guys from the back,'' Nyatama said.

"I am not saying we were not getting much from Thaka [Thakasani Mbanjwa], he had been doing well for us, but we needed that experience... you must understand that Thaka hasn't played much in the Premiership. We had to throw Daniel in the deep end and he's been doing well for us, having now kept two clean sheets."