Swallows (0) 1 (Isaacs 68’)

Kaizer Chiefs (1) (Bimenyimana 35’, Dolly 45+2) 

Kaizer Chiefs defeated Swallows FC to earn their first away league win of the season in Dobsonville on Wednesday evening, overpowering their Soweto rivals, Swallows FC, 2-1 in a DStv Premiership clash. Chiefs exerted their authority on the game 10 minutes before halftime with Caleb Bimenyimana heading Chiefs ahead. Amakhosi grabbed a second with a well-executed free kick from Keagan Dolly in first half stoppage time, Swallows did manage to grab a goal back in the second half through Waseem Isaacs but Amakhosi held on for the win. 

Early on, a ball from Swallows’ Junaid Sait towards his goalkeeper was chased down by Kgaogelo Sekgota and, as the hosts’ keeper Sanele Tshabalala hesitated, the ball ricocheted off the flying Chiefs winger who couldn’t quite bring it back under control and Swallows skipper Wandile Letlabika managed to get the ball off him and cleared the danger.

Chiefs continued to attack and in the eighth minute a delightful cross-field ball from Njabulo Blom picked out Sekgota on the left. He, in turn, managed to push the ball to Keagan Dolly who sent the ball across goal looking to find Bimenyimana, but the ball narrowly evaded the Burundian.

Dolly was the key to all things good in the early stages and he managed to find Bimenyimana with a defence splitting pass on 14 minutes, sending the centre-forward clear on goal but Mbulelo Mthethwa managed to track back and blocked his eventual shot at goal. In the process the players knocked knees and the Chiefs striker hobbled off the field for treatment.

After enduring some Swallows pressure Chiefs went back on the offensive in the 24^th minute, Reeve Frosler’s ball from the left was not dealt with by Swallows and the ball bobbled around before landing at the feet of Yusuf Maart. From just inside the hosts 18- yard area he attempted to lob Tshabalala but sent the ball over the crossbar.

After knocking on the door for most of the first half, Chiefs got their just rewards in the 35^th minute, Dolly found Sekgota who glided past Sait and lifted the ball towards Bimenyimana. The striker produced a remarkable piece of agility to get in front of Letlabika and guide the ball into the net with his head. to score his third league goal in two league games.

As half time approached, Dolly put Chiefs in the driving seat, scoring a second for Amakhosi. The Swallows wall dispersed from a Chiefs free-kick in referee’s optional time at the end of the first half and. Dolly found a gap with his left foot, striking the ball sweetly towards the goalkeepers right. Despite Tshabalala diving at full length, Dolly’s well taken free-kick snuck in between keeper and post to send Chiefs 2-0 up heading into the break.

Five minutes after the break, Dolly bent in a free-kick from the left wing, Kwinika lunged at the ball and managed to get there ahead of Sait, but his attempted effort went just wide of Tshabalala’s goal.

Just past the 50^th minute, Swallows Lindokuhle Mtshali did well to make contact with a free-kick from the left but smashed the ball into Khune’s side netting. Chiefs, thereafter, had another opportunity to put day light between themselves and their hosts, but Bimenyimana drove the ball wide from close range in the 56^th minute.

The action was thick and fast. Letlabika rose highest a minute later to meet a corner from the left with his head, as the home skipper thought he had found a way back into the game for his team but Dove Wome got in the making a timely block.

Swallows did find a glimmer of hope in the 68^th minute when Isaacs was able to lunge through the air and head home a cross from Tshediso Patjie. The visitors came close to levelling the scores in the 71^st minute when Letlabika sent his diving header crashing against the crossbar.

Swallows should have been reduced to ten men in the 75^th minute when Mbulelo Likhubeni sent Sekgota flying onto the running track surrounding the pitch but all he got was a yellow card.

Chiefs rode out a wave of pressure late on from Swallows and the hosts were unable to convert their chances, as they fell to their third successive league loss, with Chiefs rising from 10^th to fifth on the standings as a result of the win.

Full-time
Swallows FC (0) 1

Kaizer Chiefs (2) 2

Man of the Match: Dove Wome

Fact of the match – Chiefs are now undefeated in their last four league meetings with Swallows FC (W2 D2), they have won their last two away league games against them.

Line Ups: 

Swallows: Tshabalala; Sait, Letlabika, Lukhubeni, Wambi, Mthethwa, Zulu, Patjie, Mtshali (Musonda 69’), Malinga (Makua 48’), Isaacs

Cautions: Sait 51’, Lukhubeni 75’

Subs not used: Mbanjwa; Khupe, Allan, Lesako, Damons, Matsheke, Sasman

Coach: Musa Nyatama (caretaker)

Chiefs: Khune ©; Kwinika, Dove, Hlanti, Frosler, Blom, Maart, Sekgota, Dolly, Du Preez, Bimenyimana (Alexander 80’)

Subs not used: Bvuma; Ngezana, Solomons, Zwane, Sithebe, Nk Ngcobo, Radebe, Mahlatsi

Cautions: Kwinika 31’, Sekgota 73’

Coach: Arthur Zwane