Kaizer Chiefs returned to winning ways with a 3-0 victory over Soweto rivals Moroka Swallows in an Absa Premiership match at a rainy Dobsonville Stadium on Wednesday evening.

After suffering successive defeats to Maritzburg United and Raja Casablanca in the past week, the Amakhosi needed this win to reassert their title ambitions. The 3-0 score line perhaps flattered the league leaders, who were nervy at 1-0 up until killing off the game with two late strikes.

Chiefs created the first chance of the game in the 16th minute, but Siphiwe Tshabalala sent his shot wide of the target. However, just seven minutes later, the visitors opened the scoring thanks to an own goal from the home side.

A Bernard Parker corner kick was deflected into the Swallows net by a combination of Larry Cohen and Greg Etafia for an own goal, with Katlego Mphela also in the mix. The PSL officially credited the goal to the unfortunate Cohen.

Swallows looked for a quick reply through veteran striker Siyabonga Nomvethe, but his effort was deflected away for a corner kick. The remainder of the half saw the teams exchange only half chances as the break came about with the Amakhosi 1-0 to the good.

Chiefs created two good chances to add to their lead around the hour mark, with Parker first denied by an excellent save from Greg Etafia, while Mphela found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper but was somewhat unfortunate to get his feet caught up in the turf and missed the opportunity.

Dikgang Mabalane almost came up with an equaliser in the 72nd minute, sending a shot direct from a free kick just wide of Itumeleng Khune’s left-hand post. To be fair, the Chiefs goalkeeper appeared to have the effort covered had it been on target.

The league leaders almost killed off the game in the 77th minute when Parker slipped away from Cohen and got a shot away from the edge of the box, but the ball rebounded off the base of the post.

Four minutes later Parker rounded Etafia and shot on target from a tight angle, but Cohen made a heroic sliding clearance to prevent the ball crossing the goal line and keep the Birds within touching distance.

Chiefs finally came good on their threat of a second goal in the 84th minute, with a counter attack seeing George Lebese provide a brilliant lob over Etafia to effectively kill off the game and seal the points for Stuart Baxter’s side.

And two minutes later Parker made it 3-0, firing home a powerful shot to rack up a deserved goal given his persistence and determination on the night. Chiefs’ last two goals arrived with Swallows down to 10 men, with Luvhengo Mungomeni stretchered off after the hosts had used all three substitutions.

Moroka Swallows 0

Kaizer Chiefs (1) 3 (Cohen 23’ og, Lebese 84’, Parker 86’)

Swallows: Etafia, Mungomeni, Cohen, Isaacs, Mahoa, Obada (Mabalane 51’), Hendricks (Wana 62’), Baloyi, Phalane, Chabangu (Cele 73’), Nomvethe

Chiefs: Khune, Gaxa (Moleko 90+2’), Mathoho, Mashamaite, Masilela, Bukenya (Gould 83’), Letsholonyane, Tshabalala, Parker, Lebese, Mphela (Rusike 90+1’)