Swallows sink Sundowns

Three costly mistakes from Sundowns goalkeeper Calvin Marlin helped Moroka Swallows to the Telkom Knockout quarterfinals.

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Three costly mistakes from Sundowns goalkeeper Calvin Marlin helped Moroka Swallows to the Telkom Knockout quarterfinals stage with a 3-0 victory in an enterprising last 16 clash in Dobsonville on Saturday night.

The former Bafana Bafana shot stopper shouldered the blame for the opener from Swallows captain Lefa Tsutsulupa in the 37th minute.

Tsutsulupa, however, deserved credit for controlling a cross from winger Lerato Chabangu, and for his first time finishing.

The rusty Marlin – who was getting a rare start ahead of No 1choice Wayne Sandands – was caught in no man's land in the 65th minute, coming out but failing to collect from a corner kick, leaving Chabangu to easily find the back of the net.

With the veteran's confidence at an all-time low, Marlin's sloppy hands let in the third goal from a Siyabonga Nomvethe strike.

In contrast, the Birds' keeper, Greg Etafia, kept his team in control with outstanding and often crucial saves in the encounter.

While the Brazilians were brilliant in patches and guilty of a host of missed chances, Swallows absorbed the pressure and displayed better fluidity.

Downs could have taken the early initiative with striker Katlego Mphela's rasping shot drawing a save from Etafia in the seventh minute.

His strike partner, Mabhuti Khenyeza, fashioned a solo run on a counter-attack in the 15th minute, but his final shot was blocked before Etafia saved Mphela's rebound.

While a Surprise Moriri free kick on the edge of the penalty area went over the bar soon after, fellow midfielder Hlompho Kekana's curling shot from a distance in the 31st minute forced Etafia to brilliantly tip over the post.

Swallows held more possession in the first half, with nippy striker Siyabonga Nomvethe proving a menace to the opposition defence.

Defender Ashraf Hendricks came close with a header from a corner kick midway through the first period, but his shot went narrowly over the bar.

Chabangu nearly found the net from a set piece at an awkward angle but he fired his free kick across the face of goal.

Sundowns, 1-0 down at the interval, were forced to press forward from the start of the second half, with Mphela again drawing a save from Etafia in the 49th minute.

Etafia needed all his wit to pluck the ball from winger Elias Pelembe's feet in the 66th minute before Mphela missed a sitt with of an open goal a minute later.

Sundowns soon brought on Nyasha Mushekwi for the wasteful Mphela, but a goal was leaked at the other end, knocking the wind out of their sails and ending any chances of a late revival from the Pretoria outfit. – Sapa

Source: http://www.iol.co.za/swallows-sink-sundowns-1.1162683

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